Demon Wielders
by Origami Scrawls
Summary: Born in a family of renowned demon wielders means that he was expected to be an exceptional one. But Akashi Seijuro was not a talented wielder like his twin. So when he finally succeeded in forging a contract with one, his life started to change.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Do you believe in demons?

Most people would say no because who would believe that such mythical creatures exist. They were only known in stories mothers and priests would tell their young ones before bedtime or to make sure that people would not sin.

Especially in a modern society such as this where technology and science reign over many people which clouded their eyes from the truth. I mean how does science explain the supernatural phenomenon that had happened around the world? You know, like there's this one time where a girl stopped a car from running over her, or this one time where there's a man who could walk on water, oh and a mother who formed a wall of flames to protect her son from kidnappers.

Yes, I'm telling you here that demons actually exist in this world. Powerful creatures who roam around along side humans and lending people their strength.

Still saying that all of that are not true, that it's blasphemy and I'm just making up those so called 'supernatural phenomenon'? Well then how about you explain to me why all of those people could do it, how they can have supernatural powers?

Heh, I bet you can't. Then how about I explain things to you just a bit.

In this universe there exist two worlds that is the human world where we live and the demon world where the demons roam. Now from that little statement you'd ask your self why would the demons come to our world when they have their own? Well, to make thing short and sweet the reason was because the gate that separates the human world and the demon world were broken.

Yes, broken by foolish humans who long ago seek power for their own selfish needs. Those who were willing to do anything for the power that was out of their control, those who were too much of a fool to consider the risks of such act, clouded by the prospect of glory and wealth, greed taking control of their minds and rendering them the ability to think straight.

Chaos soon ensued. With the gates that were broken because of the countless rituals preformed by humans to summon demons, soon both worlds were on the verge of destruction. At that time, both the king of the human world and the demon king foresaw the future and decided to forge a demonic contract with each other to safe both worlds and casted a spell that would put both races to a deep slumber.

With the chaos momentarily contained, both kings knew that they didn't have enough power to fix the broken gate so instead they casted a spell so that ninety seven percent of the human population would be stripped off of their spiritual powers and memories of demons with the three percent of them not allowed to speak of demons but to the each other while the demons would not be allowed to use their full powers in the human world unless they form a demonic contract with a human.

The two kings weaved together their spiritual powers and offered a drop of their blood to the humongous magic circle that covered both of the worlds. An incantation was murmured as a bright light slowly engulfed both worlds. Soon both races were roused from their slumber with the majority of the humans not being able to see the demons and the demons were rendered powerless because of their non existent demonic contracts.

Exhausted from their actions the human king and the demon king died. Peace has returned but deep down the kings knew that there is no such thing as eternal peace.

And now I'm done explaining. It's your choice whether to believe or not but let me tell you something.

 _To see is to believe…_

* * *

Chapter one – The Human and the Demon

The moon shone brightly from the starry sky as fireflies danced around the clearing in the small forest. A gentle breeze blew from the east, bringing with them the smell of flowers. Small forest critters would settle for the night in their own little homes they made around the forest. It was a beautiful night, one that a certain boy cannot help but marvel.

Akashi Seijuro, a red haired boy with twin crimson eyes smiled slightly as he gazed at the stars while sitting on a tree stump in the middle of the clearing. His hands clutched the blanket that he warped around himself, trying to keep what little warmth he had within his body from escaping. He pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head lazily on them, a serene expression decorated his face.

It was a cold night and it's way past his bedtime but at the same time he just can't help but sneak away from his mansion every night for some time alone. He didn't have to worry since nobody would come searching for him and he didn't like to be inside his home anyway. He needs to run away from the constant pressure.

Every single day inside that mansion had been hell for him since his mother passed away from a disease. Everybody changed especially his father who before would usually only ignore him was now cursing him openly. In his eyes his son was a failure, a burden because he was not as gifted as his twin, Akashi Seishuro. Heck, even the many servants working at the mansion weren't allowed to serve him because if they did they'd lose their job.

He's fine with everything. Already gotten used to the hurtful insults and arrogant looks other people would direct to him. Had long since accept the fact that his twin was better than him, that he would always a few steps ahead from himself, that surpassing him is just the wishful dream of a foolish boy. He's fine with all of that because he knew it was the painful truth.

Winning is everything and losing is not an option, the strong will prevail and the weak will be erased from history. In the Akashi family, those two sentences are the law. An Akashi has to be perfect in every aspect in life and Seijuro was actually perfect in every single aspect except for one very important one.

Demon wielding.

Born in a family of renowned demon wielders means that he was always constantly pressured with expectations beyond his capability ever since he took his first breath of air in this world. Seijuro spend his whole life trying to master the art of demon wielding, studied everything about demons and demon wielding, and even watched the contract forging ritual many times but everytime he tried to form a demonic contract with a demon it would always ended up in failure.

Sometimes the demon would break free from his spiritual clutches, other times he was to exhausted to keep up the flow of his spiritual powers long enough for the contract to be completed. It could be because he lacked the right amount of spiritual powers within himself or maybe all the demons he tried to forge a contract with were just to strong. There're many other factors that could influence the success rate of the ritual, he knew but it didn't change the fact that he failed. He felt pathetic, especially when he saw his twin forming a contract with three top demons without breaking a sweat. The usual insults from his own brother combined with the regular boasting didn't help with his bruised pride.

Seijuro let out a sigh. Why was he born in this family?, why was he so weak?, why won't they accept him as he is? Those questions kept on repeating themselves inside his head making him feel a bit lightheaded. Well, no use in thinking like that. What's done is done.

He was pulled back from his musings by a gust of wind that blew much stronger than before and making him shiver. Deciding it was time to head back, he took glance at the full moon one last time before he slowly stood up and began to walk towards his mansion.

Halfway through the forest, he could see the slight silhouette of the mansion but suddenly came to a halt when he felt something that caught his attention. Seijuro turned his head to the right where he felt the unusual energy and what greeted his eyes were the sight of a pitch black fox sitting atop a fallen tree while gazing at the moon. Normally, people couldn't sense the energy and would think that it was your ordinary fox out on a night hunt but to every demon wielders they knew it was actually something else.

'A demon.' Seijuro thought as he slowly pulled out his black demon jewel from his pant pocket to capture the fox. The black fox was still unaware of his presence as it kept its gaze on the moon and idly twitching its tail. Either it had lowered it's guard or too caught up with gazing at the stars but the boy knew situations like this only happen once in a thousand years since demons could feel the spiritual powers of humans from miles away.

He slowly approached the fox, making sure to make as little sound as possible as to not startle it all the while toning down the flow of his spiritual powers in case the fox actually noticed him. When he was close enough to his target he mentally counted to three before lunging towards the fox. It let out a surprised yip and started to trash around, trying to break free from the boy's grip but Seijuro wasn't having any of it as he pressed his demon jewel to the fox's chest while mumbling the incantation that he had long since memorized.

Black tendrils formed from the shadows as the fox willed them to attack the boy in an attempt to escape both the physical clutch and the spiritual one that it could feel beginning to weave together with its own demonic core. Several cuts marred the boy's exposed skin but he paid them no mind, too stubborn and determined to let this chance slip away. A magic circle began to form beneath them and light started to appear from said circle telling the fox that the demonic contract was half way through completion.

Seeing this the demon doubled its efforts in attacking the boy even going as far as to bit the arm that was holding the jewel and drawing blood. The fox saw the slight wince that showed itself on the boy's face but instead of the boy loosening his death grip on it the boy did the opposite and tightened his grip. Soon the fox stopped struggling when he felt that the demonic contract was forged between itself and the boy, accepting the fact that he had to serve this human boy.

When the last of the spiritual powers faded, Seijuro let go of his death grip on the demon as he was too busy panting and trying to even out his erratic breathing. He shut his eyes tightly as fat beads of sweat rolled down his face, little scratches marred his skin and not to mention the his bleeding arm from when the fox bit him.

After a couple of seconds, the boy opened his eyes and saw the captured fox sitting there just staring at him with those pair of blank cerulean eyes. Wide red eyes travelled downward at the chest of the fox where he could see the red glowing symbol of the demonic contract where he pressed his demonic jewel on that very spot just moments ago.

Next he looked at his hand and what he saw took his breath away. Resting on his palm was his demonic jewel but instead of the dull black color it was now the color of blue and black, swirling around each other. Another thing he noticed was the fact that the jewel had transformed into a beautiful necklace with its gleaming silver chain and the ball shaped jewel dangling from it.

Finally, he gingerly touched the side of his neck where he could feel the warmth of the newly formed symbol on his skin. Red eyes widened at the realization. He couldn't believe it. He finally did it! After years of failure and that one time he almost died trying to forge a demonic contract he's now a demon wielder. Seijuro let a wide smile decorate his face at that realization. He's now officially a demon wielder.

Unfortunately for him, the absolute happiness that he now felt was cut short when the full toll of forging a demonic contract started settling to his body. His vision spun making him nauseous and his body felt like it was made out of lead. Black spots started dancing before his eyes and slowly darkness claimed him for tonight. The last thing he saw before collapsing is the sight of the fox standing infront of him while his ebony fur seemed to glow from the moonlight.

The first thing Seijurou noticed when he woke up was that he was in his bedroom with a bright stream of sunlight stabbing his eyes from the slightly parted curtains. He flinched and let out a grumble since the sun seems to be in a cheerful mood this morning but the same could not be said for the boy. He raised an arm to cover his eyes and tried to just fall asleep again but he knew that that was not a luxury that he would be granted since he had school that day. He lay on his bed for a few more seconds before he reluctantly sat up, his covers slipping down to his lap from said action.

A yawn escaped his lips when he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes and then started blinking them repeatedly for a while to let them adjust to the bright room. Crimson orbs travelled around the room before they fell on a pair of cerulean ones infront of him and the boy let out a surprised gasp. There, sitting on the edge of his bed while staring intently at his face is a boy around his age with teal hair that matched his eyes and a small physique similar to his. The simple black kimono, plain white hakama and dark blue haori that the unknown boy was wearing made him look more elegant than most people would.

Seijuro let out a startled yelp as his hands quickly flew to his heart to try to calm its frantic beats. "W-who are you?" He asked when he had more or less calmed the vital organ for a bit.

"Ah, forgive me for my rudeness." The boy said to him as he stood up from the bed and gave him a bow, acting as if he had done nothing wrong. "My name is Kuroko Tetsuya, a pleasure to serve you."

"Serve? What do you mean?" Seijuro asked, not quite grasping the meaning of Kuroko's statement. No one was allowed to communicate with him let alone serve. He must have mistaken him for his twin.

Kuroko gave him a blank look. "It would seem that master has forgotten of last night's event." The teal head took an object that was placed on his bedside table and held it to the front of Seijuro's face. "Perhaps this would help you remember."

When he saw the object infront of him, recollections of last night's events invaded his mind. He touched the right side of his neck and felt the warm symbol of the demonic contract. 'So it wasn't a dream.' He thought as Kuroko leaned forward and clasped the demonic necklace to his neck. Shaky hands touched the blue and black jewel that rested just below the collarbone.

The he caught sight of something white peeking from his long sleeves and when he pulled it back he saw that his arm was warped neatly with a cloth. The smell of medical herbs invaded his nostrils. He checked the rest of his body and saw that all the cuts were cleaned.

"You're that fox from last night." The now demon wielder said to the teal head who nodded. "And you treated my wounds?"

"Yes."

Seijuro inspected his demon's work on his arm, noting that he had to change the cloth into regular bandages after taking a shower. "I'm Akashi Seijuro. Thank you for bringing me back here and treating my wounds."

"I just did what I have to do at that time. There is no need to thank me master." Came the overly stiff reply from Kuroko.

"Can you please drop the formalities? It's stifling and don't call me master either." The boy sighed. He got out of his bed and tidied it up before making his way towards his closet to take out his uniform.

"What should I call you then?"

"Akashi is fine." The red head said after thinking it for a bit as he grabbed his uniform and a towel that he slung onto his shoulder.

"Then I'll call you Akashi-kun." A soft spoken voice replied back. Seijuro nodded, satisfied with Kuroko's answer before he went inside the bathroom.

Minutes later Seijuro came out from the bathroom dressed in his uniform. He grabbed his school bag and signaled for Kuroko to follow him as they headed towards the kitchen to make some breakfast. He made two sandwiches and offered one to his demon who took it gratefully. They sat at the dining table in silence while eating and when they're done the red head washed the dishes and went to school.

The walk to school was peaceful as sakura petals came raining down on them like pink snow. Many people walked, some running and were trying to fix their attire, others ate their breakfast as they made their way towards their destination. Seijuro adjusted his school bag to keep it from falling off from his shoulder as he took a glance at his demon. Kuroko walked beside him in silence, his hair tousled a bit by the gentle breeze and some sakura petals sat on either his shoulders or hair. He didn't seem to notice that his wielder was staring at him, the demon was too busy with observing the other people and some demons around them.

They kept on walking and when they arrived at the train station, let's just say Seijuro now knew that Kuroko was actually a klutz. When they went inside the station the demon got overwhelmed with the hoards of people inside the building as he kept glancing frantically left and right. Kuroko kept an iron grip on his wielder's uniform and kept sending glares at the other people there as if they were going to murder the red hair. The demon wielder sighed exasperatedly and told the demon that no one will harm him and asked him to not grip his uniform so tightly as it would wrinkle under the grip. The demon didn't obey him because grip just got even tighter as Kuroko said these people here were not to be trusted. That just earned Kuroko an eye roll from his wielder.

A single ticket was bought and when the train arrived Seijuro had to form a spiritual hand and tug at Kuroko's demonic core so both of them could ride the train because the latter kept on insisting that the train is a mutant snake and did not want either of them to enter the stomach of the monster. All through out the time they were at the train Kuroko stood frozen on his spot with his right hand seemingly ready to cast a spell to anything and everything around them. The demon kept mumbling to himself that he needed to think of a strategy fast and that he had to find the snake's weak spot before it's too late. Seijuro made a mental note to explain the various transportations to his demon later that day. And maybe he could add electronics to the list of explaining as the demon almost smashed one trying to free the person trapped inside the 'prison'.

After half an hour of train ride and another fifteen minutes walk, both of them stood at the front gates of Teiko Academy, the place where all demon wielding students or potential demon wielding students study and all staffs are demon wielders.

The two of them went inside and walked towards the many corridors in the building. They entered a classroom that was already filled with many humans and demons alike. Kuroko followed Seijuro to a desk at the very back of the class but just before they reached said desk, a blonde and a blunette blocked their path.

"Hey, look who's here Kise." The bluenette named Aomine Daiki said to the blonde.

"What do you want Aomine-Kun." Seijuro replied with a cold voice and a fierce glare. Not in the mood to indulge either of them.

"Aw don't be that cold this early in the morning. We're just greeting our classmate, Right Kise?" Aomine nudged the blonde.

"Yeah, you shouldn't frown like that Akashi-kun because it'll ruin you're day." The blonde named Kise Ryouta said with an overly sweet voice as he waved slightly Seijuro.

Seijuro kept his cold demeanor, not fooled even the slightest at their friendly greetings. He knew that both of them were just messing with him and would soon play a prank to embarrass him. He did not want to repeat the same mistakes. "I don't have time for both of you, excuse me." The red head said tersely while trying to get to his desk.

"Hey, come on Akashi don't be like that." Both red head and teal head ignored him in favor of reaching the back of the classroom. "You fucking asshole!" Aomine grabbed the front of the shorter male's uniform, obviously not pleased with the latter's actions. The other students in the classroom started whispering to themselves when they heard the loud yell and watched the spectacle with bated breaths, some even snickering at the red head. Kuroko noticed that something like this was actually normal, especially if it concerns his wielder.

The bluenette reeled back his fist and immediately sent it flying towards Seijuro's left cheek. The boy quickly closed his eyes, waiting for the familiar pain to bloom on his face. He waited but no pain came instead, he could hear some gasps and more whispers coming from his classmates. Confused, he dared to crack open one of his eyes and saw the fist stopped just inches from his face since a pale hand had warped itself around Aomine's wrist tightly.

"Please let go of Akashi-kun." A soft voice said. Aomine's gaze fell on the petite demon's form. The bluenette let out a surprised yelp and Kuroko let go of his grip. Aomine stumbled backwards and almost fell down on his bottom if he didn't bump to Kise who stood just slightly behind him with wide eyes.

The tight grip was released and Seijuro almost fell flat on his face but a pair of arms caught him before he actually did. He thanked his demon and got a nod from Kuroko. The demon helped his wielder straighten himself and brushed some imaginary dust from Seijuro's uniform not batting an eyelash at the stares the others were directing at him.

"W-what the? Who are you?" Aomine pointed a finger at the teal head, surprised that the fragile looking 'boy' infront of him just popped out of nowhere.

Kuroko gave him a blank stare and decided to introduce himself. "Hello. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya and I'm Akashi Seijuro's demon."

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone. Origami scrawls here and thank you for wasting your time to read my story. Actually this fic has been sitting in my computer for a while now and I only got the guts to publish it now. I'm not really confident with this one since my english and writing style suck. I'm really sorry for any errors that you might find, you're welcome to criticize me for that and maybe point it out for me if it's not too much of a trouble.

Well, I guess done here. Thanks again for reading my fic :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Know Your Demon

The bell rang, signaling all the students and staffs of Teiko Academy that recess has arrived. The bored students that were on the verge of falling asleep were suddenly full of energy and the ones who did fall asleep immediately left their respective dreamlands. Even the teacher who was in the middle of explaining a math problem quickly tidied up his things and almost ran from the class, eager to eat lunch and relax at the teacher's room. All in all recess time is the most awaited time in the school for everyone.

Well, all of them if you didn't count a certain red head sitting at the very back of the class. Seijuro dreaded today's recess time. Don't get him wrong, normally he would be as happy as the other people in the school when the familiar sound of the recess bell rang throughout the building. But today was different.

With the morning's incident, he would be surprised if the rumors didn't spread. Especially during recess where all the students and staff would get out of the class to eat lunch and mingle with friends from other classes. There's no doubt that his classmates were itching the whole day to blab about it.

And he could bet his kidney that his twin would know about this.

Now, the redhead sat at his desk, already enduring a grueling twenty minutes of the supposedly most enjoyable time at the academy trying to solve a physics problem on his homework the teacher just gave to his class. Seijuro found it hard to concentrate because of the loud whispers of the students right outside the door and inside the class. Some of them were crowding the door to try to get a glimpse his demon.

An annoyed sigh escaped his lips. He angrily grabbed the innocent eraser and proceeds to rub it furiously over the many mistakes he made on that problem. The paper was in a miserable state and his handwriting was a mess. The red haired boy clicked his tongue at sight of his own work, which disgusted him, and in a fit of rage he ripped the paper from his book. The end result of that is a ball of paper that now sat at the corner of his desk alongside the accumulated dust from the eraser. He decided to just start over again.

Usually, he could tune out noises and work peacefully in any environment, no matter how chaotic. But today proved to be a challenge as the noises seemed to gain an ability to penetrate through his concentration. It irked him greatly that he could not work as efficiently. He blamed it entirely on tiredness he felt today from last night's event.

Twin ruby eyes glared harshly behind a pair of thick rimmed glasses at the students both that were in the class and by the door, which had gone unnoticed or simply ignored by them. Those people have no sense of privacy. Because of them he couldn't get out of class to go to the library or the roof and he was even stalked when he took a simple trip to the restroom earlier right after the bell rang. And to top it off, his homework fell victim because of them. How not even one teacher had come and disperse them was beyond him.

"Akashi-kun, is something the matter?" A soft voice floated in the air but Seijuro didn't seem to realize. Too absorbed with his inner annoyance and homework at the same time.

Kuroko stood beside his agitated wielder, not bothered by the fact that Seijuro didn't notice and unintentionally ignored him. A pair of blue eyes scanned the mysterious language that was written. A plethora of symbols and lines that was foreign to him. Some of them simple while others look intricate and strange that he couldn't help but marvel. This world had yet to cease its surprises on him.

Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked. "What language is that?" His pale finger pointing at the paper. The pencil snapped into two the moment he did that.

The onlookers were silent when they heard the snapping sound. Whispers of confused students were getting louder before a dozen or so pair of eyes finally spotted the demon standing beside the red haired student in the class.

Not a moment later, pandemonium broke resulting in chaos. Some of them screamed, some yelled, some yelped and others ran a way screaming that there's a ghost who came to haunt them. But despite the chaos the teal haired demon kept his posture and expression calm. As if something like this is normal for him. Though Seijuro wouldn't complain since the appearance of his demon actually did wonders with getting rid of the students. Leaving both of them all alone in the classroom.

The red haired boy relaxed his posture and craned his neck to look at the demon. "This is called physics, not a language and since when did you come out of your jewel?"

"Since the bell rang." The tealhead replied with a frown decorating his face as he was reminded of the mini heart attack he had when he first heard the strange sound earlier in the morning.

The wielder nodded, letting go of his grip on his broken pencil. He took off his glasses before asking, "How did you do it?" Kuroko tilted his head a bit in confusion. "I mean, how can you appear without anyone noticing?"

"I appear normally like any other demon." The demon stated stoically.

"But they didn't sense you at all." And by they he meant the students from before.

"I just have a very weak presence." Came the reply, short and sweet. That answer didn't help one bit. Instead, it just made Seijuro more confused.

In this academy, students were trained to be professional wielders. Everyday, aside from the normal classes like math and science, they have multiple classes that teach them the art of demon wielding. From the history of how demons came to the human world until the anatomy of demons.

And the staffs that work here are the best of the best. Each and every one of them had to undergo strict selection by the government for them to be able to work here. They do not accept any less then that and for those who were hired would be immediately fired if they do not meet the academy's high standards.

But seeing what just happened now, how not even one student from the crowd could sense Kuroko, it came with no wonder that Seijuro started to doubt the demon. It also made him question himself and the staffs' capabilities.

"Are you sure you're not deliberately toning down your demonic energy?" Because he knew that every demon could do it if they want to. Although he never heard of one who could completely conceal their demonic energy like Kuroko.

"I can assure you, I did no such thing." Kuroko answered back without missing a beat.

"If you say so..." Seijuro let it slide even though he was still unconvinced. "Then can I ask what tribe are you from?" He asked Kuroko another question.

That's strange.

"Do they not teach you in this school?" The demon asked his wielder, rather than answering.

"They did but they did not teach us how to identify a demon's tribe. There are also no records on how to in any books." He remembered the time when he would read every book in the school's library as well as the one in his mansion. Surrounding himself with thick books that could be mistaken as tomes only to come out empty handed because it held not the knowledge he wanted.

"Why?" The question slipped from his lips. Honestly, Kuroko couldn't find the reason for such a thing.

"Things like that are considered private information between the demon and wielder." The redhead answered truthfully.

'There has to be someone who could tell you how.' Was what Kuroko thought but given what had just transpire in the morning, the reactions of the others towards a very clear display of bullying, and how humans view a demon's tribe as something private, he doubted that Seijuro could just up and ask something like that to the others.

You have to learn some things by yourself.

Maybe that's the teaching this school tried to implant on the students here, but to Kuroko it just hinders the students, especially those who had never had a demon before. And making the other ones who had already know that knowledge to keep it a secret is just plain stupid. Students that are learning aren't supposed to be restricted of knowledge because everyone has different capabilities and therefore there are some things that they can't learn by themselves.

But if that's the case, then that just leave him with one possibility.

He is his first demon.

Kuroko was about to say his thought out loud; it was at the tip of his tongue but he immediately stopped, mentally berating himself. That little detail doesn't matter, what matter is that this human had forged a contract with him, nothing else. "Very well, let me answer your question by explaining things a little." He pulled a chair and sat beside Seijuro, who had to inch his own chair a bit so as to make room for Kuroko. The books and homework were pushed to one side of the desk. After making himself comfortable, the demon took the broken pencil in his hand and uncrumples the ball of paper, smoothening it out the best he can.

Seijuro was glad the teal haired demon didn't judge him or openly insult him like other demons he met before. Kuroko seems like a demon that won't be bothered by those details. And by that, he was thankful that Kuroko didn't pry just now even though he could see that the demon wanted to ask him. The topic has always been sensitive for him and he would rather not talk about it.

"You are free to interrupt my explanation if I'm wrong or if you have any questions since some of the things that I will explain might be different from what you had studied." The demon told his wielder after he deemed that the paper is in an acceptable enough state, who gave him a nod as a sign to proceed.

"As you may know, demons are categorized from their tribes." The pencil moved to make a hexagon that was divided into six triangles. "There are six tribes in the demon world that you may know as the fire tribe, light tribe, wind tribe, water tribe, shadow tribe and earth tribe." The tribes were written clockwise from fire at the top and earth at the end. "Every demon commands over a certain element depending on which tribe they came from."

"I'm sorry but you drew it wrong." Said the human to the demon, interrupting the explanation.

"Huh?" Kuroko examined his own drawing, not identifying any mistakes with it.

"From what I learned, it should be drawn counter clockwise." Seijuro's finger drew an invincible circle on top of the drawing, counter clockwise.

The demon went silent, trying to process the information inside his head. "I see, so humans have a different way of drawing it…" He mumbled before responding. "This is how us demons draw the tribe hexagon. I hope it's not too confusing since the only difference is that direction it's drawn."

"No, it's not since the order is still the same. I apologize for interrupting, please continue."

"It's okay, I already said in the beginning that you are free to cut my explanation." The soft voice said before it continued. "Now, you asked how one could know a demon's tribe. To be frank, there's no way to know that unless they either outright tell you, showed their tribe mark or if you saw their attacks."

"Then how am I supposed to know yours?" The human immediately cut off Kuroko's explanation with his question. He couldn't help it.

The teal haired demon noticed the disappointment in Seijuro's voice but other wise ignored it, he's getting to that point anyway. "If a demon has forged a demonic contract with a human then there is one more way to tell a demon's tribe." Kuroko pointed the pencil at his wielder, or to be more specific, the demonic jewel that rested just bellow the collarbone, which was hidden beneath his uniform. Seijuro pulled out the said item.

"The jewel is a dead giveaway. As I believe you already know, no matter what accessory the demonic jewel transforms into, it will always have an orb shaped jewel attached to it. In your case it transformed into a necklace." And it was a gorgeous necklace that would gleam beautifully if the light hit it just right. Although Kuroko didn't look the slightest bit impressed with it.

"Each element has its own color, fire is red, light is white, wind is green, water is blue, shadow is black and earth is brown." The demon continued as he wrote down the colors beside each of the elements in the hexagon. "Now take a look at the orb shaped jewel." Seijuro held it gingerly between his fingers as twin red pools stared at the item. "There are two colors, black and blue. One of the colors will tell you the demon's tribe while the other one is the demon's essence or the trapped powers as some would call it."

"Trapped powers?" The red haired human asked his demon.

Kuroko nodded. "When one forges a contract with a demon, they also take a small amount of the demon's essence into the jewel. That essence will grant the human the ability to command the energy around them in the form of various spells and artes along with enchanted physical abilities, that's why some called it the trapped powers." At this point Kuroko had to stop the explanation as Seijuro pulled out a notebook to write the information down, eager to fill it with new knowledge.

When the human was done, he gestured for Kuroko to continue as his hand held a pen readily, wanting to scribble as much of the mini lecture to the notebook as he can. "Back to the main topic, in order to tell which color is which, look to the eyes of the demon." Kuroko pointed at his right eye. "A demon's essence is the same color as their eyes."

"So, since your eyes are blue then that means the blue of the orb is your essence." Kuroko made a gesture for him to continue. "Then the black color means that you're from the… shadow tribe." Seijuro finished unbelieving.

"That's right. Now you know how to identify a demon's tribe, well at least with ones that has already formed the contract." He leaned back, making the old chair creak in protest. "Although I didn't know that a demon's tribe is something held on such high regards in this world."

"You're from the shadow tribe?" Seijuro asked once again.

"I thought it was obvious from last night." And by that Kuroko was referring to the tendrils that he formed from the shadows, using them to whip the human. "Is something the matter?"

Seijuro shook his head. "Well, no but I am quite baffled by that."

"May I inquire why?" Kuroko urged Seijuro to elaborate.

"Well, shadow demons and light demons are quite rare these days. They're reclusive, preferring to avoid interactions with humans and demons alike. Also, they are hard to forge a contract with. So to actually forge a contract with one is something I am now having trouble accepting and I actually thought you are an earth demon." The human replied as he scribbled on his notebook.

"I see." He couldn't say anymore than that since he's also reclusive himself hence why he's behind the times in terms of the present situation in this world. "But why earth demon?"

"I thought those tendrils were vines formed from the trees around us last night." He put down his notebook and pen, stretched his limbs and earning a couple of pops before straightening his uniform. "But I guess it's not a surprise I guessed wrong since it was dark and I was too focused on forging the contract."

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, that's understandable."

"Then what about your tribe mark?"

Kuroko allowed his gaze to settle to the other's eyes, twin cerulean eyes clashing with ruby ones. No sound was made as the stoic gaze bore imaginary holes into the human, searching for something in depth and trying to find the secrets of his life. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds, it was unnerving and Seijuro thought he might asked something that he shouldn't, given they had just met, but before his lips could spew an apology, a line danced across the demon's left cheek.

It was silent with neither of them moving nor talking, Seijuro's ruby eyes never leaving the other's cheek as the line grew more thick and dark with each passing second. It swirled like a beautiful dance, arranging and intertwining itself before finally a black mark let itself be shown, contrasting with the pale white skin of the demon.

The shadow tribe's mark looked like a black heart made from a ribbon with a rose like shape in the middle, a crescent moon facing downwards is at the base of the heart, the top of the heart is hooded with two spear's tip shape at each of their side facing down and from the rose in the middle black tendrils burst to half warp the heart. It looked complicated but beautiful at the same time.

The red haired boy was stunned; it was his first time seeing a tribe mark for real and to see it appear in such a manner just made him gasp in awe. It looked better that those pictures he's seen in books.

"A demon's tribe mark is always on their left cheek, no matter which tribe they came from." The human nodded absentmindedly too fascinated with the mark.

When Kuroko thought it was enough, he willed the mark to disappear. The mark turned into wisps of obsidian smoke that floated in the air before fading away. He was feeling slightly uncomfortable from being stared like that.

"Are there any other questions?" Kuroko asked but received a simple no. With that, he stood up, placing the chair where it's supposed to be, at the desk beside Seijuro's.

Not a moment later the bell rang again, this time signaling that recess time is over and lessons will resume soon.

Kuroko tensed when he heard the sound but soon relaxed when he realized it was just the bell. A frown etched on his face at the annoying sound that gave him yet another mini heart attack. He really need's to find a way to stop it before his heart gave away.

"I guess I'll see you later, you should rest in the jewel. Thank you for the small lesson." The demon nodded at his wielder as his body slowly turned into wisps of obsidian smoke similar to the ones Seijuro saw earlier before they went into the jewel. The red haired student put the accessory underneath his uniform right after and pulled out his books for the lesson. Right after he did that, his classmates came to the classroom along with the teacher not a minute later.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the both of them, a lone student had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Although he did not eavesdrop from the beginning, he still got the information he wanted. It seems that the rumors floating around the academy were true.

The boy let a smirk decorate his face. This is interesting. He never thought this day would come. The day when his brother finally got himself a demon.

He peeled himself from his position leaning against the wall just beside the door, slowly letting the flow of his spiritual powers return to normal from the toned down state a moment ago. A pale hand reached inside his pant pocket and fished out a cellphone which was immediately unlocked. The contacts list was scrolled before it stopped on a specific name and the dial symbol was tapped. The phone now pressed against his ear.

Soft footsteps were drowned by the mass of students hurrying to their respective classes but the boy paid no heed to them as he leisurely walk to his own class with the other hand not holding the phone stuffed into his pant pocket. The slow dial tone of the small device accompanying him for a couple of seconds before the person on the other line picked up.

"I'm busy right now so this has better be good." A man's annoyed voice answered before the boy could say a word.

"Of course it is. Have I ever call you if it is not important?" The boy replied calmly despite the mood of the other person.

A sigh was heard from the phone's receiver. "What is it?" He thought he better finish this quickly. He's in the middle of a meeting after all.

"It's about your other 'son'." The boy said slowly, emphasizing the word son. Like it was a taboo word.

"Oh? What did the brat do this time?" The man's voice changed to a lazy one when he learned the cause of this phone call as if it was wasting his precious time, which it was.

"Nothing really, just that he finally got himself a demon." His feet stopped right beside his own class and he heard the teacher already resuming the literature lessons that was interrupted when the bell rang. Not that it mattered, really.

"What kind of demon? A wind demon or a water demon?" Because those demons are the most common in the human world. He could not imagine his useless son could forge a contract with any other ones.

"Neither." The boy could just imagine the other person narrow his eyes at whatever or whoever was unfortunate enough to be in his line of sight. "From what I heard, his demon is from the shadow tribe."

"A shadow demon? Ha! Like I'll believe something like that." The man haughtily said.

"That's understandable. Even I had a hard time believing it have I not eavesdrop their conversation myself." Because rumors were not to be believed so easily unless there is proof that could back it up.

The other line was silent before the deep voice spoke, "Invite him to dinner this evening. We'll see if this shadow demon is real or not."

"Then I'll make the necessary arrangements. I'll see you this evening."

"Good." And the line was dead not a second after that single word.

The boy lets a smirk adorn his face. He's looking forward for tonight's dinner because it's rare for his father to have dinner at the mansion and even more rare for him to invite his brother but whenever he did it's always so entertaining for him. There's always something unexpected happening during that particular activity, where the air was tense and stagnant, where he would watch his own identical twin struggle to keep his calm demeanor.

The boy now wondered how will this evening's event played out as he sent a message to the mansion's head butler. Will his father openly curse at his twin again or will he finally see his brother crack under the pressure, he himself does not know the answers as of now. He will have to wait for evening to come to have those questions answered.

Seishuro pocketed his cell phone, for now he will have to get back to class. He opened the sliding door and gracefully strode to his desk, acting so confident even when he was fashionably late. Dozens of eyes stared at him, following him from the door to his desk but one cold look from his heterochromatic eyes sent them all averting their eyes from him. Even to the teacher who had unconsciously stopped the lesson.

His hand once again reached for his cell phone to text his twin when he took his seat. He could not believe that he almost forgot to inform his brother for this evening. Though, that was understandable since he's just beside himself with happiness today.

Because this evening's dinner will be a dinner to remember.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thanks for reading my fic. It's been around two months since I published this and I'm really sorry for the late update but I just can't help it. My assignments caught up to me so I had to take care of them before the deadline. Another reason is because I have this habit of rereading my own work, scrapping most of it and changing it before actually publishing. I wanted you guys to have as much fun reading this as I have writing it.

Now for the reviews:

~Zleihsh: I know sometimes I read fics about him and they always make him ridiculously perfect so I decided to write a less perfect Akashi. There's a reason why Kuroko's so loyal to Akashi right from the get go but I'm not telling you for obvious reasons. Anyway, I'm glad you like it!

~Hiina, DJ candy, Vinoliepie: Thanks!

~Rinfantasy: I think I answered most of your questions in this chapter but to clarify it then yeah, this twin is the "symbolic captain" for the GOM. For the technology unaware Kuroko it's because he isolated himself from the world around him, Why? I can't tell you, sorry.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting (is that a word?) my fic. Oh and one final thing. I'm having trouble deciding which Akashi should be the older brother, should I go with Seijuro (The main character) or Seishuro (The "perfect" one)? Let me know your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Dinner…

A message notification was on his phone screen, a message from his twin to be exact.

His thumb hovered over one of his phone's buttons that would let him open said message. One part of his mind not wanting to push it while the other chided him for being so cowardly. He already knew the contents, already knew the hidden meaning but deep down he just had to open it, had to see the contents in the slim hopes of proving his conscience wrong, that maybe he's just being paranoid. So with a heavy heart he pushed the button that his thumb had been hovering above for around a minute or so. The text opened, revealing its short content.

Dinner at 7

That was it. Short and to the point. No minced words or a fullstop.

Seijuro sighed. He knew this was happening, saw it coming from when he woke up this morning. His crowded class and loud-mouthed classmates was just the beginning. More were to come and he knew that all of them were attempts to further humiliate him, just like every other time when something good happens to him.

Pale fingers quickly texted back a reply, confirming that he received and read the message. Replying to it is just a form of formality because whether he received the text or not, wanted to attend or not, in one way or another he would find himself having dinner with his family.

Normally other people would be overjoyed when one of their relatives came home especially after being away for some time. They would share stories, jokes and laughs, sometimes the person who just got back would give their family various souvenirs and knick-knacks they bought while they're away.

But we're not talking about a normal family here. No, the Akashi family is far from what other people would call normal.

Just how many times had he wished that he was born in a normal family with loving parents and siblings instead of this cold, unfeeling one where the members strife to bring down each other. Too many times, he knew. But this is the only family he's got and he'll just have to deal with it. It's not like he could just choose which family he wants to be born to, right?

Speaking of family he wondered if demons have families too. Twin ruby eyes shifted their gaze to a certain teal haired demon standing beside him inside a busy train car. Does Kuroko have people he could call family? Does he miss them? Do they care for him like any normal human families? or do they hate him and wish that he would just die here in the human world? He entertained the thought just to kill some time before they arrive at their desired station stop. Can't really ask him now unless he wanted everybody in the train car to give him odd looks for talking to thin air.

The small cellphone was shoved inside a school bag when the owner finally realized he's been holding the phone for quite a while. It's not a really good idea to space out like that especially in a crowded place like this, who knows if somebody were to suddenly snatch away his things. But despite that logical thought, Seijuro just couldn't stop his mind from wandering.

He gripped the handle dangling form above when the train yet again stopped at a station. A huge mass of passengers got out of the crowded train only to have other passengers replace their places. It was a normal thing here in the bustling city and when he saw the fading rays of the sun from the window attached to the public vehicle, the red haired human was sure that the passengers here are all eager to just go home and sleep like there's no tomorrow.

That same process happened again for a couple more times until finally, after standing still at that spot trying not to fall down and bump into people, -although for Kuroko people would just pass through him since they're not demon wielders or potential wielders- they arrived at their stop. Seijuro quickly adjusted his school bag to prevent it from slipping of his shoulders. He took a glance to his side and saw Kuroko slowly letting go of the handle he had been gripping for the duration of the ride. Both of them ready to get out of the train when the doors opened.

When he got out of the train along with the teal haired demon, they proceed to walk towards the front of the station and into the quiet sidewalk. Accompanied by both the moonbeams and streetlights that helped each other with shooing away the dark, soon they reached the Akashi mansion that stood proudly infront of them.

They went inside and made a beeline towards a certain red haired human's room. When the door was closed and locked, Seijuro let out a sigh, dropping his school bag on his desk and ruffling his hair. All the while a pair of cerulean eyes observed his every move.

"We're having dinner with my father and younger brother." The human said to the demon. "At seven o'clock and that means we only have…" He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall infront of his bed. "Fourty five minutes to get ready."

Kuroko nodded, not sure why he had to attend but decided to just go with the flow. He watched his wielder walk towards his closet in search of what would probably be a set of clothes. "Do you want to wear the blue one or the green one?" The many clothes in the closet muffled Seijuro's voice before the human took out two haoris to show them to him.

On both of his hands he held two similar haoris, the difference are only with their colors and patterns at the end of the sleeves. The green one have leaves patterns while the blue one waves. "Why do I have to change? I think I'm fine with the clothes I'm wearing." The demon asked, pointing at the blue one after contemplating on it.

The green haori was put back and a black kimono and grey hakama were pulled out instead. "Father does not appreciate messy appearances." He puts the two pieces of clothing on his bed. "Not that your clothes are unkept or anything but just to make sure. I know he's very eager to meet you."

Kuroko nodded at his wielder once again. He understood the reasoning and when he looked at his own clothes he's wearing, let's just say the ones that were laid on the bed looked more beautiful that his own.

"You should take a bath." Seijuro pulled Kuroko by the arm towards the bathroom in the room. When they entered, the human showed him how to use the shower, where to find the towels and gave him a bar of soap along with a bottle of shampoo. "Don't take too long and when you're done don't forget to put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket outside the door." Seijuro put the change of clothes on a counter placed there and disappeared behind the door, leaving Kuroko all alone.

* * *

Now, the night found them walking towards the dining room five minutes early with the demon wearing the clothes his wielder picked for him and the human wearing a grey short sleeved dress shirt and black pants along with a red tie. The soft pats of their respective footwear resounded through out the quiet corridor making them sound so noisy when the carpet had muffled their footsteps.

And before they knew it, a huge mahogany door stood before them. The redhead took a deep breath to calm himself before the handles were gripped and the door was pushed open with a soft click.

What greeted them was a sight to behold. The dining room was majestic with a gorgeous chandelier hanging from the ceiling providing some illumination. A long table covered with a white tablecloth sat in the middle with various foods laid atop expensive looking plates and bowls until they covered almost half the table. Regal looking chairs were placed at the table with four of them already occupied by his twin brother along with his demons.

Kuroko who saw Seijuro taking a seat right infront of his twin decided to do the same by occupying the one next to his wielder. Leaving the chair at the head of the table empty at the moment. Twin blue eyes scanned the three demons and single human infront of him.

First, his eyes landed on the human who had a face similar to Seijuro but with heterochromatic eyes. A fake smile was etched on his face unlike the slight frown his wielder had. He wore a crisp red short sleeved dress shirt with a black tie. His sitting posture was perfect with fingers neatly folded on the table. Kuroko shifted his gaze to his left wrist, which had a silver bracelet around it and a silver ring on his left ring finger. Both of them are demonic jewels although the location of the third one was currently unknown.

The demon beside the human was a beautiful man with shiny jet black hair. His lips were set into a dazzling smile as his eyes followed Seijuro's movements. His hand gave his wielder a girlish wave but was ignored by said human. Though in Kuroko's opinion, he would also do the same thing as his wielder if someone were to wave to him like that. Just the very thought of that made him almost nauseous.

Kuroko's eyes settled for another demon that sat beside the black haired demon. This one has bright yellow hair and a carefree grin that could probably bring back the sun right this instant. He looked extremely happy and childish despite the tense atmosphere in the room. How he could do that was beyond him.

The last one had a huge built with dark skin. He had his eyes closed and muscled arms folded but despite his efforts to look nonchalant, Kuroko would occasionally catch him stealing glances at the various foods laid on the table. It seems he's hungry and just couldn't wait to just stuff his mouth full.

All of them wore similar clothes with varying colors. All except him that it made him feel slightly left out but who was he to complain? He's just happy with the new clothes he now wore and they're also comfortable.

A maid poured some tea to Seijuro's cup. He thanked her gracefully and took a small sip as she gave a bow and went back to stand at the corner beside the other maids and butlers that were present in the room. She completely missed the shadow demon that sat just beside the red haired boy that she had just poured tea.

Exactly five minutes later, the gigantic doors opened once again and in came a man with faded red hair and heterochromatic eyes. He took a seat on the last chair available, the one at the head at the table. Kuroko guessed that this man must be the head of the Akashi household if the bows from both humans and demons were any indication.

He held out his hand, acknowledging the people as his eyes roamed the room, examining every inch of detail before he gave a curt nod. Not a moment later clatters of spoons and other utensils were heard as those who were sitting at the table started filling their empty plates or bowls with food. Eager to let their taste buds burst with flavor.

Except for Kuroko who opted to observe first, trying to decide which ones to take since most of the foods here looked foreign to him.

"I heard from your brother that you forged a contract with a shadow demon, surely that's not true right, Seijuro?" Kuroko heard the man asked his son, breaking the silence that befell the room before.

Seijuro didn't answer instead he kept on chewing his food. Completely ignoring the question.

A mocking chuckle was heard before a voice similar to Seijuro said. "I did not see nor sense his demon when he came here" Seishuro stabbed a piece of meat with his fork. "But if you still insist then by all means please introduce this shadow demon you speak of to us." He gave an arrogant look towards his brother as if daring him to do so.

Twin red eyes glared at heterochromatic ones before their owner glanced to the left and gave the teal haired demon who was sitting idly despite the various food infront of him a small nod. Kuroko replied back by standing up carefully so as to not make any noise before introducing himself.

"Hello." A greeting escaped his lips, startling everyone in the room except for Seijuro. The yellow haired demon and the tanned one choked on their food before furiously gulping their tea. "My name is Kuroko Tetsuya, Akashi Seijuro's demon. A pleasure to meet you all." He executed his introduction flawlessly, not in the least bothered by the reactions of the others as he gave them a small polite bow.

"Seishuro, Is this the demon you told me about?" The father, Masaomi asked his youngest son. All the while his eyes not straying from the demon who was now leaning his back on the chair's back rest.

"I haven't met his demon before but it would seem so." The heterochromatic-eyed twin replied while his older brother feigned ignorance as he ate silently.

The man hummed to himself. So this is the demon, his useless son's demon. Although now that he thought about it, for his failure of a son to actually forge a contract with one then this demon would be without a doubt be even more useless that Seijuro. He was sure of it especially when he saw how small and frail looking the soft-spoken demon is.

The same thought was running through Seishuro's mind as he also had no doubt that this demon is a weakling like most demons the other students in school had, maybe even more weaker that that. But before jumping into conclusions he had to confirm something first and he was sure his father was also thinking the same thing.

"Tetsuya." Masaomi called for the demon who simply looked at him, silently telling him that he's got his attention. "May I ask which tribe are you from?"

Kuroko blinked, face devoid of any expression before he let his gaze settle back on the various food infront of him, busying himself with the task of trying to figure out the composition of each dish and choosing which on would satisfy him the most rather than giving a response.

"Tetsuya." The father urged again but was once again ignored. By now even the other three demons had stopped eating, staring at Kuroko as if he had grown a second head. "If you don't want to answer then reveal your tribe mark to us."

And for the third time Kuroko ignored him, this time by asking his wielder the name of a dish that looked suspiciously like a pile of bloody worms, in which his red haired wielder answered by saying that it's called spaghetti which is noodles with tomato sauce and not some wiggling creature.

"Such rudeness." Masaomi commented when he saw the demon had no intentions to answer or reveal his mark. "Although that's not surprising considering who's his wielder."

"As they say father, like demon like wielder." Seishuro added sneaking an arrogant glance at his brother.

A smile adorned the father's aged face. The kind of smile that could send shivers up to one's spine. "When I first heard that this 'son' of mine having a shadow demon, I felt proud." The word son was emphasized. "But seeing him right now. Ha! Blasphemy! Shadow demon my foot!"

"Indeed, and just look at those cuts all over his skin." The younger twin said. "He probably got them when forging the contract. The bandage around nii-san's arm is probably Tetsuya's pathetic attempts at trying to break free from the spiritual clutches." He pointed at the newly changed bandage, a faint smell of medicine came from the piece of cloth. "Biting, the best he could do as weakling."

"Yes, he's the same as his wielder who almost died trying to forge a contract with a strong demon once. All the more proof that this demon's weak since this brat didn't die." His father just had to remind him of that. Further humiliating him.

"I just surprised he didn't just commit suicide right after that incident. It could've save him some dignity than when he went to school and the other students there bullied him."

"Hmph! They could've just killed him for all I care. I would've helped them cover it so it would look like an accident." Kuroko's gave went still at that sentence but otherwise nothing's changed, his face still looked blank. This went unnoticed by Seijuro who suddenly found the tablecloth very interesting.

"We'll just have to wait for another chance or maybe his demon could do the job for us."

"You think that demon could so such a thing? Surely you're giving him too much credit. I'd be surprised if he could actually kill a rabbit!"

A light chuckle. "True. It was foolish of me to think like that…"

From there on, insults were thrown towards Kuroko and Seijuro from left and right, not stopping. They varied from Masaomi who would boast about his younger son and Seishuro who would look down at his own brother or insult both the older twin and Kuroko. The other three demons sat silently, acting as spectators of a sick show, the sounds of spoons and forks softly hitting against plates accompanying the hurtful words.

Seijuro was ashamed at his family and at the same time embarrassed. First day as his demon and Kuroko had to endure such a thing from them when he didn't really do anything that would make him be the victim of their sharp tongues. So when Kuroko quietly stood up, walking towards the corner of the room some time in between the onslaught of insults, leaving him and his seat behind, he wasn't surprised. He probably had enough.

Seishuro who saw that formed his lips into a smirk. "Oh my, could it be that I hurt my dear brother's demon's feelings?" Kuroko kept on walking, not revealing anything from his body language. "Isn't it such a shame nii-san? I bet your demon will forcefully break the contract right after this. He's probably disgusted to have someone like you as his wielder."

The older twin kept his poker face intact, this was just the beginning and he knew more were to come. To lose his composure now would mean he lost. There's no need to show them any reaction. No need to respond. Not even when his own demon had literally abandoned him, which is totally not unexpected.

His fists were balled on top of his thighs, nails digging into his palms and craving small crescent shape indents. He wished that they would just stop, wished that time would just fly off and not crawl like it was now, wished that he would suddenly turn deaf so as to not hear another word from them. This gathering of his small family felt like a nightmare, a living hell.

Then, someone poured some tea into his half empty cup, snapping him out of his depressing thoughts. The red eyed boy whipped his head to the right, expecting one of the servants but instead his eyes landed on Kuroko who standing beside him with a teapot. "Drink some tea, Akashi-kun. It'll help calm your nerves." His ever so flat tone of voice breezed to his ears like a breath of fresh air. A welcomed change from all the other voices in the room.

A smile graced his features as he thanked the demon who sat himself back on his seat, pouring some of the beverage into his own empty cup. Kuroko had not abandoned him like he initially thought when he suddenly walked away, seems like he just wanted to fetch some tea.

"Akashi-kun." All conversation stopped as all three redheads gave Kuroko their full attention even though the one he meant was his wielder. "Can you recommend some dishes? Everything is foreign to me and I wanted to quickly excuse myself after I have my fill."

"My, to eat and flee right after. A typical act for a coward." Masaomi commented.

"How about trying the shrimp? They're deep fried with bread crumbs and glazed with mayonnaise." Seijuro recommended said dish, pretending to not hear his father.

Kuroko shook his head. "No, I'm not in the mood for seafood. Are there any with fruits or vegetables maybe?"

"A picky eater. How ungrateful." This time Seishuro was the one to comment.

Twin ruby eyes scanned the plethora of dishes in front of him, trying to find one that would suit Kuroko's palate. "Hmm… oh, how about some salad. They're just chopped vegetables mixed with some lemon juice."

The demon thought of it for a while before nodding his head, making the mop of teal hair bob with the movement. "I guess it'll have to do."

"So many dishes here and he chose a mere salad. Seishuro, tell the servants to serve that shadow demon grass the next time I invite him to dinner." Masaomi told his son who let out a chuckle while nodding his head while the demon scooped some of the dish into his plate, turning into a deaf man when the comments floated in the air.

"Maybe nii-san should be served grass like his demon too. Useless people should be treated equally." The younger twin recommended to his father.

Masaomi thought about it for a moment. "Yes, that's true. Very well, inform the whole servants about that right after dinner."

Seijuro mentally sighed. They're getting out of hand. The usual insults are now added with humiliation and torture methods. He will have to remind himself to eat first if he were to be invited to dinner again. Because once both of them said something, no matter how absurd, it'll happen, they'll make it happen, one way or the other. Well, at least they could still have tea or water and not muddy water.

His twin red eyes then came to rest on the shadow demon's form. Kuroko just ate his meal silently; body posture relaxed and face devoid of expression. Sometimes, in between chewing, his hand would reach toward his cup and took a sip before another spoonful of salad was shoved into his mouth, not in a hurry.

He won't admit it openly but right now he was feeling envious. He envied how Kuroko could act so calm and composed amidst this chaotic and stifling atmosphere, how he could just shut off every word that spewed from his family's mouth, remaining unbothered. So very different from himself who almost lost it had said demon didn't offer him some beverage.

"So, Seijuro." The owner of the name whipped his head to look at his father in the eyes. "How's your rank at school?"

"The same as always father, still in D rank." The older twin answered truthfully although with much reluctance.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Masaomi's voice suddenly rose, resounding throughout the room and reverberating in ones bones. The knowledge of his son's rank made his mood turn sour in a matter of seconds. "You're the eldest son of the Akashi household! There is no room for mistakes, no room for failure and lastly no room for flaws! Keep this up and I might just disown you!" His fist hit the table with a loud bang as his cup of tea that was placed a little to close to the edge fell from its perch, the sound it made when it made contact with the floor indicated that it had shattered into a million pieces that was beyond repair. "I knew that making Seishuro the heir was the right choice!"

Silence reigned over the room as Masaomi's heterochromatic eyes were still staring straight at his eldest son who was still staring back at him defiantly. No one dared to make a sound or even twitch as the atmosphere turned tense, too tense.

A light hum pierced the air, sounding so flat even though it was meant to be one of confusion as if the one who made them was in the middle of suffering acute boredom. All eyes landed on a certain teal haired demon who had probably lost his sanity or simply rebellious.

"What are you humming for?!" The head of the family yelled, no pleased with the attitude.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it." Kuroko said, his blank eyes staring at the sight. "When Akashi-kun told me that I'm invited to dinner I thought it would be all laughs and jokes, shared stories and experiences. But instead it was filled with insults and mocks."

"Then I suggest you get used to it! Dinner with this brat is always like this!" Masaomi said, still with his raised voice while pointing at Seijuro.

The shadow demon eyed the finger that was pointed at his wielder, almost stabbing his right eye. "My, to point your finger like that, such rudeness. Though I shouldn't be surprised, especially when you could insult at your own son so freely."

"This coming from the rude demon who had ignored my question!" The man retorted immediately.

"First, It not like I don't want to answer but more like I do not find the need to as you already know the answer from your son whom I have no doubt had informed you about me. There is no need for me to waste my breath and energy for that."

"Second, from what I learned today, matters concerning a demon's tribe are considered private matter between the wielder and the demon. To ask such a question and order me to reveal my mark is considered unpolite as you should also ask my wielder for permission."

"And lastly, for the time I spent here, hearing you and your son blab to no end, I still do not know your names even though I had went through the trouble to introduce myself. So very different from your so called 'useless' son who immediately introduced himself to me when we first met."

"Now tell me something, if you called me rude when the only thing I did was ignore your question and order that clearly does not need to be answered nor obeyed, then what should I call you?"

A knife sailed through the air when Kuroko ended his talk. The whizzing sound accompanied its journey towards the demon and would've impale itself in between his cerulean eyes had he not tilted his head a bit, letting the said item stab itself on the wall behind him.

"No need to resort to violence." Kuroko said while calmly pouring himself some tea. "I merely laid down the facts."

"Such behavior is unacceptable. How dare you run your mouth like that." Seishuro said with a cold voice, hand still outstretched from when he had thrown the knife just moments ago.

"The same goes for you who spewed insults and curses at his own brother, like the pot calling the kettle black." Cerulean eyes locked with gold and ruby eyes before continuing. "I suggest you take some time to reflect upon yourself before you say that or better, you can ask your dear older brother here to teach you about politeness. I'm sure he'll be delighted to teach you a thing or two."

"And you think someone like him will be able to teach me anything?! Surely you jest!" By now his voice has rose, sounding so angry. Contrasting with the cold one he used just moments ago.

"Of course he can." It was said with much certainty. "Sometimes knowledge is found in the most unexpected places. Do not let your overly inflated pride hinder you from learning."

"Silence! I shall not hear another word coming from your rotten mouth!" The younger twin yelled, losing his composure to this demon.

"Funny." Kuroko said with a mock confused tone of voice, complete with a slight tilt of his head and a pair of blue eyes staring at the ceiling. "If my memory serves me right, you are definitely not my wielder. What right do you have to order me around like that?"

"You'll regret saying that!"

"I've regretted many things in my life but disobeying a human with no manners is not one of them."

"Then those shall be your last words!" Masaomi yelled as his fists yet again hit the table. "Seishuro, punish him as you see fit! Kill him if you need to and don't forget the brat!" He ordered his son, eyes filled with rage.

At the order Seishuro quickly flicked his wrist. Flames appeared in the air when he did that, surrounding both Kuroko and Seijuro. 'This is bad.' Seijuro thought at that moment. He had no means of escape with his brother surrounding him with the element unlike the servants in the room that fled the moment the dining room's temperature had abnormally raised.

Sweat began to drip down from the side of his face at an alarming rate as his mind was running with the speed of light, trying to find a way to survive this. The flames grew in size and with that the room's temperature became unbearable. His ruby gaze was running across the room as his mind was filled with thoughts of how to survive this, a complete contrast with Kuroko who was calmly staring at the flames, still sipping his tea quietly.

A gigantic ball of fire the size of a boulder materialized right above them, blazing deep red as if the sun was brought to this very room. Seijuro couldn't do anything but stare wide eyed at the red burning sphere his brother conjured, feeling helpless as he realized that he's going to die. His brother was cruel, never showed mercy and this was made true when he saw the giant fireball coming down on him and Kuroko. He quickly closed his eyes and crossed his arms infront of him, as if doing so would save him.

An explosion occurred when Seishuro willed the flames to crash onto them along with the mini sun. The sound of flames crackling reached the ears of the remaining people and demons in the room as the blazing fires licked and consumed both Kuroko and Seijuro. But despite the destructive occurrence, none had so much as flinched or showed pity.

"Hmph! That takes care of that." The father watched the flames with satisfaction, the shield made from wind element that was protecting him from the flames disappearing along with four other identical ones similar to his.

"Have humans succumbed so low that they would try to kill their own family member like that?" The sentence was accompanied with a tired sigh. "Not even animals would do such a thing."

From the floor, thin but wide tendrils of pure darkness rose. They stood at least around two meters, slowly swaying left and right as they waited for the other tendrils to rise at the other burning spot, the one with Seijuro inside. When all of them hand appeared, each of them immediately positioned themselves just an inch infront of the fires, surrounding the twin burning demon and wielder. Then they went still, half bending, ready to react but were prevented to do so, as if waiting for a command.

A snap of ones fingers was heard loud and clear. Then as if on cue they enveloped the burning fires, making it look like a flower bud and killing the flames easily. The tendrils stayed like that for a while, remaining motionless so as to make sure that the flames won't appear again before peeling themselves to let loose the trapped smoke that was produced. It filled the whole room and made the other five remaining humans and demons cough.

When the smoke had somewhat escaped from the room via the door left open by the fleeing servants, fives sets of eyes opened to witness two identical obsidian orbs made from shadow particles dissipating to reveal Kuroko and Seijuro inside. Both were sweaty and sticky, yes, but otherwise unharmed.

"It's a good thing I prepared this beforehand, right? Akashi-kun." Kuroko wiped his brow with his haori sleeve. The one who was spoken to gave the shadow demon a glare as he wiped the sweat with his tie. Disgusting and so unlike him but better that the smoke covered napkins on the table. This is all because of his crazy demon who gave him a heart attack and said demon even had the gall to blink innocently at him.

"How?!" Seishuro asked, unbelieving. His flames were powerful and a mere protective orb like that shouldn't been able to withstand his attack. The same thing also applied for the dark tendrils.

"Just how foolish can you be?" Kuroko leaned on his slightly burned seat and closed his eyes for a bit, enjoying the change of temperature even if not much. "To attack me, a shadow demon with fire on a gorgeous night such as this. You do know that the night is my domain and fire is weakened during this time, right? Or maybe you simply forgot?"

Seijuro didn't understand, not in the slightest. "That may be true but that alone is not enough. The contract has just been forged just last night, surely you can't have that much power in such a short amount of time."

And Seishuro couldn't agree more on his brother. A mere boost of power like that can't do much when faced with his flames, even when his element was weakened. There also seems to be no signs that the shadow demon's seals were broken. So what happened? What made the demon so powerful?

All attention shifted towards Kuroko, silently asking, ordering him to explain. "Do I have to?" He's tired from talking too much today but, when even his wielder gave him a look, he had no choice. "Try looking at your brother's left hand Akashi-kun." He finally conceded with the silent order.

As one six pairs of eyes stared at said limb. Questioning looks decorated their faces when they saw nothing's wrong with it. The skin still smooth and pale with no blemishes. That is until realization took them by surprise, making their blood run cold. "Where are my demonic jewels!" Exclaimed the younger twin.

"Right here." Kuroko held the silver bracelet and ring for them all to see.

"You thief! Give them back!" Ordered Seishuro.

"No, if I do then you'll surely attack us again." Kuroko said monotonously, not having any intentions to return them to their owner. His pale fingers gingerly held the accessories, lightly fingering them.

Seijuro blinked. He had to admit that his demon is very cunning. He made people think that he was strong, fooled them to think so but in reality he weakened his brother's powers by stealing his demonic jewels.

'It's because he knew he that wouldn't stand a chance.' And that line of thought couldn't be any truer.

Even with only one jewel in his possession, his twin still managed to produce such destruction, he couldn't imagine the damage he would cause with all three. They'll surely die from the sheer power if he were to return them now only to have his brother attack them again.

Then there's that protective orb. Demons could've just form that in an instant but Kuroko said he prepared it. It could be that he hadn't gained enough of his energy but if so then does that mean he knew this would happen? Knew that his brother would eventually attack both of them? It was hard to believe but looking at the damage done to the room, it was hard to not to.

But there's still one thing left that needed to be answered and that is when did Kuroko steal said accessories? Seijuro tried to remember, his mind raced, imagining each scene in his head in the hopes of finding the exact timing. But no matter how hard he tried; he just couldn't find the answers. Knowing this he just had to ask his demon, in which he did.

"Sometime between when I asked you to recommend me some dishes and when your family added their comments." Was the answer the demon gave as he grabbed his arm and placed his younger brother's accessories on his palm.

"You mean that was a distraction?"

The demon shook his head, his pale hands bending his wielder's fingers so they closed in on the accessories. "No, I really did have some troubles with the food. It's more like taking advantage of the situation."

"Enough of that! You! Return the demonic jewels, now!" Masaomi yelled, furious at the shadow demons behavior or to be more specific, he was not pleased with how Kuroko outsmarted them all.

"They're not in my possession." Kuroko pointed at Seijuro's hand. "Your other son has them. How about you ask him for them nicely. I'm sure he'll gladly return them to you if you do." Masaomi gritted his teeth while his eyes glinted dangerously before he attempted to grab them forcefully.

But such thing could not be done as easy as one thought. A tendril materialized from the table's shadow to warp itself around the man's wrist, stopping his actions before the hand was slammed on the table, creating a loud sound.

"Kuroko…" The shadow demon's wielder said, warning him. He knew this would not end well and he quickly tried to return the jewels to his brother. But he was not quick enough as the three other demons in the room suddenly launched their respective attacks at both of them, probably had enough of Kuroko's antics.

One decided to pelt the shadow demon with fist sized rocks, another one with numerous wind blades, while the last one went with sparking lightning bombs that would explode upon close contact. The various attacks were launched; each with deadly accuracy but neither came close enough to their target before being canceled out. The rocks turned into dust, the wind reverted into harmless breeze and the lightning crackled a bit before disappearing.

"What did you do?" The twin red eyed wielder said, exasperated as he saw all three of his brother's demons on the floor, having fell off from their respective seats. Making them lose their concentration and accidentally canceling out their respective attacks.

Kuroko didn't say anything but he did raise his hands that were gripping a bunch of shadows from underneath the table. Seijuro let out a sigh. He was tired, really tired. Even though he did nothing but sit down on his seat for about an hour and not running on a marathon. But who could blame him? Anybody would feel tired if they were placed in his shoes.

If anybody said he was a weakling then let them try having a demon with a knack for the unexpected along with a family that could have multiple outbursts in the span on an hour. He'd be surprised if said person still has his sanity intact.

The older twin watched Kuroko lightly pulled at the shadows he was gripping, like a puppeteer manipulating a puppet, Kuroko made the three demons move so that they sat again on their seats. Although a bit stiff since it was obvious that their bodies moved without their consent, if their shaking limbs and gritted teeth were any indication.

"Just sit quietly and don't try anything funny." Kuroko's normally flat soft voice floated into the air with a tinge of sadism. "If any of you so much as twitch or make a noise, I'll crush your bones and tear of your limbs." They stopped struggling.

"Kuroko, release them." Seijuro wasn't only referring to his brother's demons but also at his own family who also got their shadow taken by his demon.

The one who was given the order simply played with the ebony shadows, twisting and tugging at them every now and then. He looked as if he was having fun making the three demons move into a variety of poses from strange to down right funny, in which Seijuro thought he probably is. He almost laughed out loud when Kuroko made them pose like a girl with their bodies bent a bit towards the table, one hand supporting their heads while the other one held out a peace sign beside their faces. The point is to make them cute and adorable but the outcome was anything but.

"Why? If I release them then they'll just attack us again." Kuroko finally said, still playing puppet and puppeteer with the younger twin's demon while Seishuro and Masaomi has yet to be subjected to such humiliation.

"Then what do you suggest we should do? You can't keep on gripping at their shadows like that." The teal haired demon stopped what he was doing, racking his brain for any solution.

"A lot of things came into my mind…" He absentmindedly said, picturing each solution inside his head. "A lot of ways…"

"Then pick one that will not harm any of them." Kuroko stared at his wielder, not amused in the slightest. Torn between keeping his polite behavior with him or stripping it with a jab to the ribs.

"I'm sorry Akashi-kun, I didn't hear you the first time. Can you repeat what you just said?" He decided to give it another chance because he was sure he heard that wrong, he was absolutely sure that Seijuro didn't actually turn into a crazy person after all that. His ears must have been playing tricks on him, yes that must be it. Or maybe he's the one who's too tired to the point he himself thought he's lost his hearing.

"I said to pick one that would not harm them in any way." Seijuro repeated slowly, word by word like explaining to a child.

That does it, his wielder is officially whack and his ears are still functioning properly.

"Really, Akashi-kun? After all they've done to you? I can easily kill them if you want. Just say the word." Offered the demon, and as if to proof his statement, he squeezed the shadows in his hands, making their owners flinch when pain suddenly bloomed all over their body. A small part of his mind still unaccepting how his red haired wielder could just show mercy to those people.

"They're my family." And that one sentence, spoken with such absoluteness, prevented whatever argument was about to fly off from his lips.

"Someday, your kindness will cost you your life." Kuroko said, dead serious. But then he let out a long sigh; he just knew that he'd have numerous arguments about this particular thing with his wielder in the future. "Can you throw those up in the air at the same time?" He requested his wielder.

Seijuro, although not understanding the reason, did as he was told. The two silver accessories were up in the air, gleaming when the light from the chandelier hit them just right. When they reached the highest point, without warning, they were engulfed by wisps of shadow particles. When gravity sent them falling, the accessories had been enclosed inside a small black orb, similar to the one that was activated to protect both him and Kuroko from the flames. Seijuro caught it with ease.

"Now, please gently place them inside my bowl." And he did just that, letting the orb seated itself right in the middle.

Kuroko shifted the shadows he was gripping so they were all held on his left hand, while his other free hand dragged the bowl closer to him. Then he carefully picked a random shadow he was gripping before sticking them to the orb, rubbing at it a bit as if it would fall off if he didn't before picking out another one and repeating the process. It was amusing to watch, how Kuroko could pluck one shadow from the other, like a florist would do with flowers when all he can see are a bunch of dark silk like thing, not being able to differentiate which shadow was whose. But despite the sight and process he was seeing, he couldn't actually see this as a solution.

"Well, you said to not cause any harm to them…" Kuroko said, as if answering his thoughts. Can demons read minds? "No, but your expression spoke to me all the same. Anyway, I'm done. Let's go, Akashi-kun." The teal head stood up, ready to leave the room.

"What do you mean go? What about this?" He pointed at the bowl, demanding an explanation.

"I did what you said. This is the easiest method I know that doesn't harm them." The way he said that made him feel like an idiot.

"That doesn't actually answer the question." Seijuro said.

"It's one of the many methods shadow demons use when disciplining or punishing demons. To let them contemplate on their mistakes or have them cool their heads. " Kuroko explained a bit.

"But won't they just attack the orb? Doing so will release them, right?" He knew his family like the back of his hand, and so he knew what they were thinking. They're probably waiting for the right time to break free and attack both him and Kuroko again.

"No, the orb is very fragile, even a single scratch could destroy it. If that happens…" A pause. He glided his finger at the lip of bowl, caressing a one of the shadows attached to the orb. "The owner of the shadow will die painfully…"

"What?!" He did say not to cause any harm but that doesn't mean he want them to be stuck like that forever. The others also have similar reactions.

"Worry not. Unless they tried to destroy the orb then the most damage they would get will be sore muscles." Seijuro sighed in relief and Kuroko could've sworn he heard a similar sigh from one of them, probably the blond one.

"How will they be released?"

"Usually, they would have to wait until the one who trapped them undo it but since I'm a 'weakling' like they said then it'd just last for at most half an hour. Until then I'll excuse myself like the 'coward' I am. You should be grateful for my 'useless' wielder, if not for him I would have just killed you or I'd place the orb at the edge of the table like most demons that I punished back in the day…" Seijuro swore there's this glint if his demon's normally blank eyes when he talked just now, like a murderer would when they cornered their target. "Some survived while others were never heard again." Well, that explains that…

Somewhat assured that his family was fine and feeling oddly drained, Seijuro stood up, pushing his chair back under the table like his demon did with his. "Please excuse us, father." He didn't wait for his father's answer as he gave a small bow before he walked towards the huge wooden doors behind him. Kuroko followed silently, not sparing a glance.

When they left the room, both of them made their way towards Seijuro's room. The human eager to just take a shower, change his clothes and sleep while the demon looked plenty comfortable despite the state of his clothes.

* * *

There's an old saying that's still known up until this day and that is do not judge a book by its cover. Seijuro could say with a hundred percent certainty that what happened during dinner tonight was the perfect example for that.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami scrawls here and thanks for reading this fic. Another late update but at least it's a bit quicker than last time. You can actually blame (or thank) insomnia for that. But somehow despite my dizzy head and blurry eyes, I managed to finish this chapter, which ended up to be the longest chapter I typed. I didn't plan for this long chapter, I thought you guy will get bored or tired reading it (like I do most of the time) but oh well. You can consider this an early Christmas and New Year's gift from me to you. I'm sorry for any grammar errors or misspelling in this fic. Did my best to fix it but sometimes I'll miss some of it. Anyways on to the reviews!

~DJ Candy: I'm really glad you liked the last chapter. I was worried that I'll bore some of you guys because all that info I just dumped into that chapter. But at least you liked it, and that's enough and thanks for the suggestion!

~Lil'Dormouse: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the suggestion!

~Hiina: Oh Kuroko protected Seijuro in this chapter. Just like you predicted XD. I'm also looking forward to writing (typing) more chapters in the future.

~Eikos Kyris: You're welcome! Actually in the beginning I was planning to make Seijuro the younger twin and my reasons were more or less the same as your's but then I thought of the later chapters, how this would affect some of my ideas I already have for this fic and then before I knew it this idea of a younger Seijuro just doesn't fit. It maybe have something to do with other's suggestions about wanting him to be the older twin but either way really sorry that I can't apply your suggestion here but maybe I can do that in another fic.

~xXxPhantomxXx: This brother is Seishuro (I twisted the name a little since twins tend to have similar names with each other) he's not an oc but the other Akashi, the one with the emperor eye. And he's definitely not Nash but now, since you brought him here I'm starting to entertain the idea of inserting Nash into this fic although I don't know when…

~zleihsh, Visually Dreamer: Thanks! It means a lot!

~R3iga1004: Really happy to hear (read) you said (typed) that. The intro of this fic was inspired by the movie How to Train Your Dragon, I really liked how Hiccup introduced and explained a bit about his homeland in that movie so I though why not apply a prologue similar to that here. There will be a lot of dangers that's for sure I just hoped that I can write it well for all of you to understand. The struggle is real I tell you. Anyways thanks for your suggestion!

I didn't know that typing this chapter actually came with the cost of my brain and mind racing around with tons of negative thoughts and ideas. It's kind of scary how I can think of many ways to torture the characters in this fic that I thought I will have to change the rating into M in the future.

But anyways thanks for reading my fic and also clicking the follow and/or favorite button. Oh and before I go, how about a little quiz~ remember the protective orb Kuroko made to protect both himself and Seijuro? In this fic it's said that he prepared it beforehand but I didn't really tell you when. Then how about you try guessing that, I dropped a hint that I think is rather obvious. I'll give the answer the next time I update.

* * *

Omake – Demon in Modern World

"Akashi kun."

The one who was addressed merely looked back from his shoulder, urging for the demon to continue.

"About the food earlier…" He tried to assembly the right words in his head before he asked. "There's this dish that looked strangely like a pile of maggots with sticky slime."

Seijuro hummed, trying to remember the exact dish that was described strangely. "I think that was macaroni with melted cheese."

"Then there's this one drink that looked strangely like blood."

"That's wine."

"There's this dish, it's yellow and thick and there's bits of something in it."

"Cream soup."

"There was a plate full of tube shaped… things with white substance oozing out like sperm."

A pause. "Spring rolls."

"I think I saw what looked like a male's genetical member served on a plate."

That sentence said by Kuroko made Seijuro trip, almost falling down to the floor if he didn't catch himself quick enough. He stood there before whipping his head so fast Kuroko might as well thought he has a whiplash. "Kuroko, stop."

"Stop what Akashi-kun?" Kuroko tilted his head to the side.

"You probably did that on purpose." He was blushing madly now, face almost as red as his hair.

"What do you mean?" This time those wide blank cerulean eyes blinked twice

His hand gave him a facepalm. "Don't tell me you said all that with out any ulterior motive."

Kuroko only stood there, looking lost. The same thing goes with Seijuro who quickly grabbed his demon's wrist and power walked all the way towards his room. Luckily no one was around when Kuroko started asking those 'innocent' questions.

Just how in the world would he describe mayonnaise as sperm and sausages as… Urgh, he needs to get some sleep as soon as possible before his brain suffers from anymore damage.

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no basket nor the profile image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – P.E and Work

If he could describe this day in one word, it would be the word disaster.

Now all of you might think. 'That's an exaggeration.' Or 'It can't be that bad.' But it's not an exaggeration, and it is bad. …What? It's true! Really! I mean, come on! He woke up first thing in the morning to the sight of a messy room that could rival a broken ship, like it was hit with a tycoon.

And in the middle of it is a particular black fox, blinking its unbelievably wide blue eyes at him while he struggled, with messy bed hair and dilated twitching eyes to find out just how in the world did this happen? How did he stay asleep despite the chaos that ensued last night?

His mind rang with a telepathic greeting from Kuroko. The simple 'good morning' sounded too innocent when he could just see the results of his late night endeavor. Seijuro pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt an incoming migraine. He demanded an explanation from his demon, a detailed one.

And so Kuroko did just that, once again talking too much for his liking even though it was still early in the morning. He reverted to his human form, helping the demon wielder clean up the room while elaborating his actions in a very detailed way that Seijuro thought he was the one who was doing all that and not sleeping oh so peacefully throughout the night.

His family caused this. Because of the great humiliation his family endured during dinner last night, they have set up various traps throughout his room and the corridor outside of his room. They probably spent their time stuck by Kuroko's disciplining method to brew wicked ideas to achieve maximum damage and suffering towards him.

He continued hearing Kuroko as the shadow demon listed up the various traps he had identified, each with brief explanations on how they were set up and what could've triggered them to activate. It was mind blowing how his father, brother, and demons could achieve such a feat.

The first trap Kuroko nullified was a simple one, a transparent thin string imbued with wind element strung from his chair to the bedpost, if it were to be tripped over would explode into a myriad of tiny, nearly invincible needles. There's one made from water element that looked like marbles scattered all around the floor where if one were to kick or step on even one of them accidentally would flood the whole room. There's a beautiful vase full flowers that could brighten one's day was actually a deadly trap that would transform themselves into creepy mutant spiky snakes that would squirt venom at them. The bathroom door and his room door were imbued with lightning, shocking the one unfortunate enough to touch it. And so on…

When asked how on earth he could deactivate all that in the span of one night and not wake him from his slumber, the demon answered with a hollow "Who knows…" not offering any explanation.

* * *

Now, Kuroko clung to him like a plague. It was not Seijuro's fault that today, trouble seems to be attracted to him. And he was very, very grateful that his demon now in his fox form was being so considerate of him that he hadn't even once, ever since yesterday evening rest in the jewel.

Kuroko's right pointy ear twitched, the one with a silver earring with four silver hoops. The first hoop one was embedded with a small dot of sapphire, the second emerald, the third ruby, and the last one topaz. It was beautiful and Seijuro wondered just how did he not see that. Not a minute later he let out a little yip as the shadows materialized themselves in the form of a fist that sent a punch right to the face of a foolish student who intended to throw ice shards at him. The unfortunate student was sent flying into the air before he landed painfully on the cobblestone path three meters from his previous position.

Another one came from behind. Holding a baseball bat like one would a war hammer to hit Seijuro's head. But once again Kuroko stopped whatever bloody injury that would befall his wielder by giving life to his own shadow. It shot out and snatched away the bat, whacking the student's head. The result is yet another unconscious student left on the path along with the others, like a trail of victory.

The red haired human ruffled the fox's head, muttering yet again a thank you at Kuroko who was perched on his shoulder, hind legs holding his weight by stepping on Seijuro's back. His fluffy tail would often give a pat on his back or a brush to his elbow just to assure him that he was there and at the same time a reminder since the Fox was unnaturally light

He made his way to the shoe lockers and opened his, only to find the charred remains of his school shoes. Good thing he brought a spare.

The small metal locker was shut close with a dull thud. Once again, the red-haired human had to hand it to his brother, his authority as the president of the student council is massive, made evident when almost all of the student body had this intent to inflict harm upon him ever since he left his mansion. Yes, ever since he stepped out of his home. But so far no one has even touched a single hair from his head with Kuroko by his side.

Like now, as shadow tendrils rose, whipping the air at a blindingly fast rate. They acted as a shield and mirror at the same time, protecting both of them from the sudden onslaught of various elemental attacks and deflecting some of them at random directions. Soon, the once clean space was now littered with fallen students, smoke, and some debris because of the ambush.

" _Run Akashi-kun_." Kuroko's voice rang loud and clear in his mind, speaking telepathically to Seijuro. Cerulean eyes saw more students coming out from the corridors.

" _To wher_ e _?_ " Seijuro replied in his head as he ran back outside, towards the courtyard, a mass of students starting to chase him.

" _Just try to lose them."_ Kuroko said as Seijuro turned a corner towards where the gyms were located. Some of the mass had caught up to them, but Kuroko rendered them unconscious. How he did that, Seijuro didn't know; he was busy looking for a hiding place.

Twin red eyes finally saw an old building right in front, the abandoned gym. His legs wasted no time to run towards the rusted doors; breath reduced to frantic pants as his ears would catch the faint sound of footsteps. Pale hands were outstretched, grasping the handle and pushed but alas the door refused to open, having been locked.

Seijuro in a panicked state rattled the handles as if doing that would make the doors although rusty magically break under the force. The air was thick, crackling with energy from what he was sure were the others' spells and artes. Acknowledging the danger, his head whipped left and right, trying to find another place to run to, but a silent crack from the doors stopped him from doing so.

" _Hurry! Get inside! I'll distract them for you!"_ And Kuroko leaped off from his shoulder before he could say anything, running towards the direction where the energy's strong.

The doors were opened, bits of metal from what he discerned as the thick piece of steel that slid in between the twin doors when locked fell to the floor. Kuroko probably broke that for him, but he couldn't ponder on that any longer as he quickly entered the empty gym, closing it as softly as he could.

In a matter of seconds, the yells were getting louder same goes for the footsteps. Seijuro stood just behind the door, leaning on it so it would stay shut. It would raise suspicion if the doors were opened even though it's not used anymore. The others' voices leaked into the building as he could just imagine them standing just in front of the gym. The metal doors being the only thing separating him from them.

"Where is he?"

"There's no way he could just disappear!"

"That sneaky fox! Just wait till l wring its neck!"

"You idiot! That fox is Seijuro's demon!"

"Then let's catch it and take it to the president!"

Each and every one of them voiced their agreement in various ways. He heard them say something about a bounty and having a party but other than that he couldn't know more as all of them ceased their voices, the sound of a bush moving floated into the air.

"There! It's probably there!" Someone exclaimed, and the sounds of running were heard, getting fainter and fainter.

When he was assured that they're gone, Seijuro let out a breath he was unconsciously holding. His legs choose that time to lose their power; knees bend as his back slowly slid on the door until he sat on the dusty floor, completely exhausted. He released his death grip on his bag, placing it beside him. The back of his head touched the door as he let his eyes close.

With the peaceful atmosphere in the dusty gym, his mind started to wander to Kuroko. The demon probably fled to the forest at the back of the school that was usually used for cultivating herbs and earth element practices. He hoped Kuroko wouldn't injure himself since the grounds there are unstable and there are unknown dangers of mutant plants that were the results of countless failures.

Now that reminded him of that one time. During fourth grade when his class went there for the first time, all eager and giddy. Each of them had summoned their demons out, most from the wind tribe but there are some from the fire and earth tribes. He remembered standing back with the others who didn't have a demon, observing with fascination and twinkling eyes.

The teacher at that time, a kind woman in her early thirties let out her demon from her demonic jewel. She explained to the students what she was about to teach them today which is how to turn dust into a pebble. Seijuro smiled fondly when he recalled hearing some of the students say it was dumb only for the teacher's demon to throw rocks right to the foreheads of those who said that.

Ignoring her demon's method of choice for shutting up her students, she demonstrated how to do it by taking a small amount of dust from a small pouch she had and let the energy around her gather on her palm. The class was fascinated, letting out oohs and aahs at the way the powder transform slowly into the pebble the teacher desired. This amazement did not exclude young Seijuro at that time.

Right after that the teacher and her demon gave the students some dust, giving some pointers on how to do it and asking the demons to protect their wielders since accidents tend to happen even though it was still the basics. As for the group without demons, they were instructed to feel the flow of energies in the air so they could get used to it until the day they have their demon.

When learning, especially with children, anything could happen. And at that time that saying was made real.

One student, all smug and arrogant didn't bother to follow the teacher's explanation; this resulted with the dust flying towards his eyes instead of gathering together. There's one girl who was too scared to try and ended up with her earth demon doing it for her; the teacher was not pleased. Another one took too long and had his dust blown off by a sudden gust of wind. Not anyone's fault, Seijuro knew, but the look of shock and confusion that decorated that student's face when he opened his eyes after concentrating too hard and found his palm dustless was just too funny even the teacher couldn't help but laugh alongside the others.

In the end, only one student could do the assignment, and that was Seishuro. His little brother could do it on his first try. He could even make the pebble he already formed turn back into dust and manipulated it into other shapes like a cube, a tube, an orb and so on. The teacher was so amazed, she made Seishuro her assistant of the day and asked him to help with the others who were obviously struggling. Seijuro could've sworn that Reo, his twin's only demon at that time, was fighting not to let his manly tears of pride show. But his efforts were proven futile since the demon ended up crying and sniffling all the same, wiping the tears and snot with a frilly handkerchief.

" _It seems you're in a good mood despite your situation."_ A smooth voice entered his mind, making Seijuro quickly snap his eyes open to look at his demon sitting in front of him.

"You're back. Where are the students?" Kuroko reverted into his human form before replying.

"Somewhere out there, doing squats." The demon shrugged his shoulders.

"How? They can't just do that willingly." Seijuro gave Kuroko an incredulous look, once again wanting him to explain.

"I command the shadows, Akashi-kun. Therefore it's not difficult for me to lure them under an ample shade and make them move however I want by giving a command to their shadows that had blended with some trees'. It's another one of the disciplining methods I told you last night. Though, I could give their shadows a command to kill each other or commit suicide..." Kuroko added the last one with a mumble as his eyes wandered around the building, craning his neck and turning his head to try to see some things more clearly from his place on the floor. "What is this place? It doesn't seem to be used anymore."

Seijuro nodded, confirming his demon's words. "Yes, it's not used anymore. This place used to be a gym where the advanced wielding class was held. But when the number of students started to increase, this academy decided to build a larger one. Now, it's not as maintained as it was before."

"Advanced wielding?" That words when combined sounded foreign to him. For all he knows there's only wielding, nothing else.

"Yes. They teach the more complex side of wielding like spells and secondary elements" Seijuro explained when Kuroko's face literary said 'humans make everything more complicated.'

"Have you ever had advanced wielding lessons?" Kuroko asked with a tilt of his head.

"No. The minimum requirement to take that class is to be in A rank or above." He rummaged his bag's contents and took out two water bottles, giving one to Kuroko. "Those of B and C ranks could take standard wielding lessons while D ranks like me could only take wielding theories.

Seijuro took several sips from his bottle; the same goes with Kuroko although with much more haste. When done, both bottles were put back inside the bag as silence reigned between the two of them.

The teal head glanced to his left, towards where the direction of the forest as his eyes changed from the full blank blue ones to that of a fox's with silted pupils. "Hmm, they're still doing those squats…" He said absentmindedly; his gaze pierced the building's wall to see a view he desired. "How much time do we have until the bell?" Kuroko asked Seijuro while letting his eyes change back into that of human's.

The red haired human took out his cell phone to glance at the time. "We still have around twenty minutes."

Kuroko nodded. "That should be enough."

In his confusion, Seijuro could only tilt his head. "What do you mean?"

"I'd like to teach you some of the basics. To pass the time and not have you completely oblivious to your power." Said Kuroko with a blank stare. "That is if you don't mind." He added as an afterthought.

Seijuro quickly shook his head, immediately blurting out an "It's okay, I don't mind." Before Kuroko could retract his kind offer. "Very well. But before I teach you anything, do you know your primary element?" Kuroko asked. A shook of the head was what he got.

"I see. Then please wait for a while." The teal head said, holding out his hand in front of him with the palm facing the heavens. Right after he did that Seijuro felt the air crackle, the energies moving to gather just above Kuroko's palm as an orb the size of a volleyball materialized. The demon pulled back his hand and the multicolored ball suspended in the air.

"Before you ask anything, let me explain first." The sentence effectively stopped him from spewing numerous questions right there. "We demons called this the elemental ball. Not really creative, I know, demons are lacking in that field." The corners of Seijuro's lips twitched a bit at that. "This ball's job is to identify one's element just by touching it."

Kuroko took out a pouch full of strawberries from the many folds of his kimono, taking one in between his pointer finger and thumb. "Take this fruit for example." The demon threw the red berry to the ball, and when the fruit touched it, it changed colors into brown. When the strawberry went through it, landing on the human's palm, the ball went back to its multicolored state soon after. "Since it changed into brown then that means the fruit is of the earth element."

Next, Kuroko let his hand touch the floating ball. It wasted no time to change its color into pitch black quickly. He looked at Seijuro saying, "This means shadow is my element." Before he retracted his hand again, picking a strawberry from his pouch and munching on it as the ball gained colors again. "How about you try it."

Twin red eyes scanned the slightly glowing ball. The colors of each element were dancing and swirling together gracefully. He raised his hand towards it, stopping just an inch right in front of it. Kuroko gestured for him to touch it, still munching on his strawberries. And he did just that, his hand moved, immediately sinking inside.

"Red. Fire element." He heard kuroko said and true to his words the orb was now glowing red. Seijuro pulled out his hand and the ball dissipated.

"Now that's done, try making a small fire by gathering the energies around you." Kuroko made an example by forming a small black strawberry made from his element. "Imagine your flame's form, feel the energies' flow, give them a command but don't try to force them to obey you or they'll retaliate in their own way." Seijuro nodded and closed his eyes as he concentrated, one hand stretched with the palm facing upwards.

And then seconds passed, then minutes until finally, it was three minutes before the bell rang. Kuroko checked the students he punished and saw them already done with their squats as they are now sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily, and drowning in their sweat.

"Akashi-kun. Let continue later; you have to go to class." He said. "And I suggest we run before anyone sees us."

Seijuro nodded, grabbing his bag as he stood up and brushed some dust from his uniform. A frown was etched on his face the whole time, and this did not escape Kuroko's notice. "It's okay if you didn't get in on your first try." Seijuro didn't say anything but opening the doors and heading to his class, still somber.

* * *

"Stand." The class president called. The students as one stood up from their respective seats.

"Bow." All of them bowed to the teacher who was reaching towards the door. A chorus of "Thank you for the lesson." Was heard loud and definite as the teacher merely gave a lazy wave and closed the door behind him, probably heading to the teacher's lounge to prepare for his next class.

Chatters erupted when the teacher left as all of them picked up their bags filled with sports equipment, already walking out of class to head down towards the field. Although some with a bit difficulty because of the pain inflicted to their whole being. Seijuro knew the cause of their agony and chose to keep quiet as he quickly tidied up his desk and grabbed his bag of sports equipment with him, scurrying downstairs as fast and quiet as he can.

He reached the boy's changing room. Luckily none of the boys have arrived. He quickly took out this P.E uniform and changed into it. He did the same thing with his shoes as he changed them and put on a pair of white sneakers. When he was done, he pulled out his jewel from beneath his shirt and summoned Kuroko out by directly touching the ball-shaped jewel with a finger imbued with his spiritual energy.

Black wisps of shadow particles shot out from the necklace, they swirled and gathered in one spot in front of him. Not long they took shape, compressing themselves before dissipating to reveal Kuroko in his human form complete with his trademark blank expression. "Break time has passed, and I believe your time studying here is not over yet." Was the first sentence he spewed right after he was summoned.

"Yes, you're correct. Right now we're in the boy's changing room. I need you to change your clothes and hurry to the field before the others get here." The human took out a plain shirt and track pants from the bag and gave it to Kuroko.

The demon looked at the clothes strangely before changing into them. "Is there a special occasion that I have to change my clothes?" Kuroko asked as he took off his haori. Seijuro immediately took the clothing item and folded it neatly.

"No, not really. It's just P.E, another class. It's mainly physical training, but demons also have to participate." Kuroko nodded as he thought this was an excellent opportunity to see other humans and demons.

"Kuroko, your shirt is on backward." Seijuro couldn't help but chuckle as he helped the confused demon. "You have to look at the neck of the shirt. The lower line should be in the front and the one with the tag at the back."

When Kuroko's done with changing his clothes and putting on a pair of sneakers that he had a bit help with, the red haired human pulled out two water bottles from the bag and handing one to the demon. A thin teal eyebrow was raised when Seijuro hid his bag in its usual hiding place, behind the furthest locker in the room.

"Let's go." And both of them walked out of the changing room towards the field at the same time the boys arrived to get ready.

* * *

"All right class, gather around." The teacher clapped her hands loudly to get their attention. On her wrist is a silver bracelet, no doubt a demonic jewel.

The class moved to stand in front of her with much reluctance. Not that they're lazy but more like exhausted as they had just finished running three laps around the academy. And to say Teiko is large was an understatement. Gigantic would describe it better.

"Today we're playing dodge ball." Some groans and cheers were heard, but the teacher ignored all of them. "Now I'm going to list out some rules and what to watch out for the game. The first rule is that we're using a single ball, this ball." She picked up the ball that was placed on the ground beside her all this time.

"As you know, this ball is unique as it'll change forms and channel out energy depending on the students' choice of element or the demons' element. It's going to be dangerous, but that's what you get for being that unfortunate three percent of the world's population."

"Second, we're going to play two to four rounds of dodge ball depending on how much time we have and each team will consist of three boys and three girls with their demons so basically, each team has twelve members, plenty if I do say so myself. Each and every one of you will get a chance to play, and I'll make sure all of you will play seriously. Don't get any funny ideas of sneaking away or I'll see to it myself that you'll regret ever doing that."

"Third, is there anyone who's still in D rank?" All eyes darted towards Seijuro who meekly raised his hand. "Then you're excused from this game, Mr. Akashi."

"But I have a demon, sensei." Came the answer. The teacher raised her brow as her eyes darted around the field, searching everywhere before coming to rest on Seijuro's from again.

She let out a sigh. "I don't appreciate you lying. I know you're frustrated and maybe ashamed that you're the only one in the class that's still in D r-"

"Excuse me. I'm Akashi Seijuro's demon." Kuroko's voice interrupted the teacher mid-sentence. And like always, all of the students and demons gave either a scream, a yelp or a gasp. The teacher didn't do any of that, but she visibly tensed.

"When did you get here?" The teacher asked the demon.

"Since the beginning. I also ran three laps around the school like you asked." Kuroko said even though it was more like he was dragged by Seijuro, half dead from exhaustion. Not that he would say that out loud, he still has his pride. The teacher eyed the teal haired demon once more before giving him a small nod.

"Alright. Congratulations on forging a contract with a demon Mr. Akashi. I'll be sure to inform the principal about this. Now, finally, is there anyone who has multiple demons?" Everyone shook their heads. "No one? Then on the count of ten, I want two teams here each with three boys and three girls along with their demons. One! Two!..." Then the teacher started counting. The students hurriedly ran and yelled to each other, calling out their friends to join the team or pulling them out of the field so they could play together in the next round.

And by the time the teacher finished counting, the field already had two teams. Both consisted of three girls, three boys, and their demons, just how she wanted. The teacher placed the ball in the middle of the field before walking back to stand behind the fence outlining the field and pulling out a whistle from her pocket.

"This game of dodgeball will be played fair and square, and that means no cheating, no causing permanent damage to your opponent or aiming for vital organs. Do that, and this academy will kick you out. If any of you got hurt those nurses will treat your injury, if it's only a minor scratch or bruise then deal with it. Remember, have fun and if you fall the ground will be there for you." And the whistle was blown; the ringing sound it produced was heard loud and clear as the students ran towards the ball, like a pack of wolves pouncing on a rabbit.

Eventually, one student, a boy with spiky hair won the struggle and grabbed the ball. He took a stance with the ball raised to the side of his head as his eyes scanned the members of the opposing team who were all on their guards and eyeing his movements. A confident smirk adorned his face when he saw a girl standing at the corner of the field, looking dazed and away from the others. Seeing her as an easy target, with one swift movement of his arm, the ball was thrown, transforming itself into a round, dense ice the second it left the boy's hand.

Some of the opposing team members screamed, shouting at the girl to move but she didn't seem to listen. The ice ball sailed the air towards her at an unbelievable speed and would've frozen her face if she didn't stop the ball with her hand. The boy grumbled as he was eliminated and jogged back so he can stand behind the fence. Now in possession of the ball, the girl quickly ran towards the front and threw the ball with ease. The ball melted and transformed into a fireball that quickly hit a girl on her arm. With a grunt, the girl quickly ran towards a nurse to have her burnt arm treated.

Kuroko let his gaze follow the injured girl who moved out of the field and sat beside the nurse that quickly hovered his glowing palm on top of the burn. In a matter of seconds, the damage was nowhere to be found as if it was not injured in the first place.

"Are humans so barbaric these days?" Kuroko asked Seijuro beside him after he saw the nurse heal the girl's arm.

"Not really. It's just like the teacher said, this is what we get for being that unfortunate three percent of the world's population." Seijuro said with a shrug of his shoulders, eyes never leaving the game. By now the team on the right had lost five members while the one on the left three.

Kuroko didn't say anything, watching the game with rapt attention. He saw the ball flung from left and fight, back and forth, changing elements and transforming to many forms from a boulder to a lightning spear. And as the game progressed, he saw more students rushing towards the nurses to get their injuries ranging from burns, bruises, and stabs healed.

In the middle of the game, the teacher blew her whistle after a countdown from ten to zero. The game ceased for a while as the demon on the right team dropped the ball and walked to the sidelines, eliminated. "Why is that demon getting removed?" Kuroko asked his wielder, pointing at said demon with his finger.

"He held the ball too long. In dodgeball, a player can't hold on to a ball for more than ten seconds." The game resumed with the ball once again changing elements in rapid succession.

Kuroko nodded in understanding. If that demon or any player held it too long who knows how many strategies could be thought, seeing as dodgeball is a game of action and spontaneousness. The teacher probably wanted the students and demons to exercise caution, enhance their reflexes, improve their aim and increase their pain tolerance at the same time.

Brilliant but that's expected, if not she probably won't be a teacher.

"Are we allowed to form a shield?" Kuroko asked again as he saw some of the players' ball were impossible to catch in his current state. The game was nearing its end as the ball, transformed into a wind blade, hit someone's leg, blood gushing from the slash wound caused by it.

"Yes, but you can't hold the shield for more than ten seconds." Seijuro answered as he saw the player with the injured leg being helped by some of his friends to leave the field.

The sound of the teacher's whistle was heard again as the game was now over with the right team winning with only three players left. "I want those who haven't played, to the field. Now. Two teams, three boys and three girls with their demons." She barked her orders. The students scrambled to form their teams.

"Mr. Akashi." Seijuro looked at the teacher when she called his name. "You and your demon go to the left team. I need to observe both of you so I can report to the principal."

"Yes, Sensei." Seijuro stood up and walked towards the left side of the field, Kuroko following behind him.

When the right amount of players were on the field, the game commenced with the loud sound of the whistle. A girl from the left team got to the ball first and wasted no time in flinging it towards the nearest player. The ball was stopped by a shield and caught by another player who let the now crackling ball fly towards Seijuro.

Seeing the ball heading towards him, the red-haired boy sidestepped the electric ball and made it hit an unsuspecting player on his team. The poor boy didn't see it coming and was unconscious the moment it hit his stomach. Others immediately went to help, carrying him to one of the nurses.

"Damn. I was hoping it'll hit him." The one who threw the ball said, flicking her bangs away from her eye.

"You'll get him next time." Her friend said overly sweet, patting her on the shoulder as she eyed Seijuro distastefully.

Now he learned that he's the primary target here. Great, just wonderful.

Kuroko who heard the exchange stayed silent, opting to stay out of the way and protect his wielder with a shield. He'll let the others eliminate each other first before stepping up, no need to waste his energy so early in the game. Plus, he could observe each players' attacks like this. It's advantageous for him.

The game resumed soon after. This time a demon from the left team got possession of the ball. Without bothering to aim, he threw the ball in a straight line. The ball changed into stone and hit a girl on her leg, breaking the bone.

She fell to the ground, her scream deafening as she clutched her leg. It's a clear sight of agony, but all that was present to see the incident occur were unfazed. A couple of students rushed to carry her to the nurses but nevertheless no one flinched or scrunched their face in disgust when they saw the leg bent at an unnatural angle. Not even the teacher moved to help, heck she didn't even look worried as she yelled for them to continue the game.

A demon from the right team, probably the girl's demon who just got a broken leg, threw the ball to the demon who caused the injury, wanting revenge. This time the ball transformed into a spiky ice ball that went straight at the demon who evaded from being frozen by ducking her head. It ended up hitting the ground behind her and freezing a part of the field. The demon clucked his tongue before going back to his wielder as he was eliminated.

"Somebody melt that ice and continue the game." A boy did just that and threw it at the right team's members.

For the most part, every single player on the field would throw the deadly ball at Seijuro. Yes, even his own teammates who 'accidentally' threw the ball that was entirely meant for the other team, he just 'coincidentally' got in their way.

Right...

But he was okay with all that, he only needed to dodge them. The attacks ranged from a dull old blob of water to a frighteningly sharp jagged stone. He dodged all of them with Sidesteps, rolls, jumps, and sometimes a black shield would appear to protect him. And whenever the last one happened, the game would be involuntary paused as all who were present would blink their eyes before resuming.

But currently, the game had progressed for quite a while. The left team only has himself who's exhausted from evading the ball, Kuroko who was probably invincible and a bo-

Sorry, make that only him and Kuroko as the other member just got hit by a lightning bomb. The ball, now looking normal, rolled away innocently from the injured player.

"Well, well, look who's left." Seijuro frowned at the snickering girl that tried to hit him earlier. "Hey, how much did the president said we'd get if we could hurt his twin?"

"He didn't say, but I bet it'll be a lot!" Someone said enthusiastically.

"Hmm... Seeing as he's alone, it'll be a piece o-" She didn't get to finish her sentence as a black ball hit her square on her face. Tendrils sprouted from the ball acting like tentacles as it wrapped itself around her head and neck, suffocating her.

The others were to shocked to react or help her. Eyes wide as they just stared at the flailing girl on the ground, screams muffled and arms frantically pulling at the dark tentacles in hopes of it releasing her. They only responded when the body stopped moving, and the ball unwrapped itself from her. Luckily she's just unconscious and not dead. Again, some of the students carried her to have the nurse check her for any injuries.

"You got guts hitting her like that!" One of the girl's friends screeched after she saw her friend nearly died of suffocation. Face contorted into an ugly scowl as she threw the ball to Seijuro.

The red haired boy who wasn't given any time to explain reacted on reflex and quickly ducked, covering his head. He felt the ball, imbued with wind element pass above his head and cut a few locks of his hair. Not a moment later he heard a dull slap and the ball came sailing back towards the right side of the field.

Twin ruby eyes widen significantly at the sight of the girl screaming, horrified at the black thing that was slithering and attaching itself to her arm. Like a parasite, it sprouted out tendrils to stab the limb, breaking through the skin and flesh until they went through the other side. The sound of bones breaking and cracking could be heard along with disgusting quelches. By the time it detached itself, the arm was barely noticeable with all the blood leaking from the holes created, limp and disfigured.

For the second time in a span of five minutes, all of them saw the ball transform into something they've never seen before. Black, dangerous, and horrifying were the only words that could describe it. Now, some of them were having second thoughts. Is the bounty really worth the pain and horrendous view?

"That's what you get for letting your guard down and being that unfortunate three percent of the world's population." Kuroko's voice drawled out monotonously, staring blankly at the girl who gave him a glare and went out of the field.

The others jumped two feet into the air, just realizing the demon was actually there playing the game.

"Is that really necessary?" Seijuro said to his teal haired demon, still facing the opponents as he stood from his crouched position.

"That's unfair." Kuroko stood beside Seijuro. "The others had done it more violently, and here you are questioning me when I didn't even aim for their eyes or heart.

"You could've killed them." A pale finger pointed at the two girls behind the fence. One still unconscious while the other was being treated.

"No such thing could happen. I've already calculated the amount of energy I need to knock her out, and I made sure not to reduce the arm's bones into dust." Kuroko tilted his head a bit. "I don't see any reason for you to feel any sort of concern for them seeing as they almost killed you too."

"Just don't cause unnecessary harm to any of them." The red head said, knowing full well that trying to reason with Kuroko is a failed cause. And he can't actually defend them like he did with his family since he never saw them as friends. They just coincidently studied in the same place that's all.

"I can't guarantee that." Was all the demon said.

The game resumed when a boy grabbed the ball and threw it fluidly. The now fireball was heading towards Kuroko, threatening to burn him alive. Not worried at the least, he enveloped his hand with shadow particles and pushed the fireball that was inches away from harming him back towards the boy twice as fast.

The ball struck true as it once again latches on to an appendage, this time a leg. "What the hell?!" He kicked his leg and pulled at the ball, trying to unlatch it from him. "Oi! What are you looking at? Get this thing off of me!"

And as if awakened from a spell, others quickly rushed to pull the ball from his leg. But no matter how much they pulled, the black shadows won't come off, clinging stubbornly. "You should release him." Seijuro told his demon, observing with interest and barely contained amusement. The boy screamed and let out a couple of curse words every now and then.

"It'll fall off in a couple more seconds." Kuroko supplied. "While that lasts, I'd like to tell you that the ball is very versatile and stable. Able to withstand rapid elemental changes and take various forms. It can also amplify the element used to it. So try to gather the energies to your hand, catch the ball and throw it back. Think of this as practice and an excellent opportunity to impress that teacher." He gave a pat to the human's shoulder and turned around to stand a couple of steps behind Seijuro.

The ball finally freed the boy and was thrown to Kuroko again. It was slapped to a demon beside the thrower, latching itself again...

The game continued like that. When the ball was thrown towards Kuroko, it'll be sent back towards anybody and would stick itself to whoever it hit. When they try to target Seijuro, he'll always dodge it, eliminating them. Eventually, the right team members diminished one by one until there's only one player left.

With labored breaths, the player threw the ball towards Seijuro. It transformed into a wind blade, heading to the other side of the field unsurprisingly fast. Seijuro crouched low to let the ball pass above him harmlessly but when he did that, a sickening sound was heard, making his blood ran cold.

Quickly standing up and looking behind him, there stood Kuroko staring at a bloody hand on the ground. Then he raised what was left of his arm, the wind blade cutting it clean through the bones like a knife through butter. Sighing for a bit, he picked up the amputated limb and waved at Seijuro with that same limb that was on the ground seconds ago. Silently wishing him good luck, he made his way to one of the nurses, leaving a trail of blood from his severe wound.

Kuroko seems awfully calm with all that. It's a bit scary.

Composing himself after witnessing a scene straight from a horror movie, he walked back to pick up the ball. It was dirty, caked with dirt and blood from both humans and demons. He took a deep breath. Convincing himself that he could do this.

"Ten!" The teacher yelled, starting a countdown when she saw him holding the ball a wee bit too long.

He could do this. He's seen it done many times and Kuroko even gave him some pointers.

"Nine!"

He gathered the energies to his palm the best he could.

"Eight!"

The energies he gathered dispersed just like when he practiced at the empty gym. No good. He tried again.

"Seven!" By now his classmates had joined the countdown.

He gathered a small amount of energy, not much but it's the best he could do right now, and he knew the ball would amplify it.

"Six!"

The demon was smirking but nevertheless ready to react the moment the ball left his hands.

"Five!" A smile graced Kuroko's lips. He shifted his gaze to his arm, already knowing the outcome.

"Four!"

He took aim, reeling his arm back.

"Three!"

Then ball left Seijuro's hand, the dirty white sphere sailed towards the single member of the opposing team. In the middle of its time in the air, the ball grew in size, bright blue flames enveloped the now gigantic boulder, the heat it radiated could be felt even by the ones not in the field. It continued its way to the other side, now inches away from making impact as the rival demon stood frozen on the spot, mouth agape, and eyes as big as saucers. He should form a shield or try to dodge but his mind had malfunctioned the moment he saw the flame's color.

A blur came to push the demon away from the fire. Just in time as not even a second later, the blazing blue mini sun crashed into the very spot the demon was standing before. The impact caused an earthquake along with an explosion that ripped the entire fence that was surrounding the field from the ground, shattering the glass of some buildings and also cracking some of the walls.

Everybody shielded their eyes, their demons forming shields or protective orbs. Smoke rose as the aftermath, and when they cleared, the field had a deep crater. In the middle of it is the ball, back to its normal state. By that time every student body had stopped their previous activity to see what happened from their class window.

On the left side of the field, Seijuro who was laying flat on his stomach on the ground peeked his head from his arms to look at the field in front of him. Red eyes widen when he saw the damage done before he remembered the demon that he almost took out. Looking around rewarded him with the sight of the teacher's demon in the process of hoisting the supposed target. So she was the blur he saw before the ball hit the demon.

"Alright! Everyone go and get changed. P.E's over since the field is partially demolished." Everyone complied without a word, some of them carrying the unconscious ones to the nurse office while others went to the changing rooms. Almost everyone besides Seijuro, Kuroko, the teacher, her demon and the nurse who's still treating Kuroko's arm.

"Soul flames. Didn't expect that coming from him." The teacher mumbled to herself. Then she looked at Kuroko sitting a couple of steps to her right. "Bet you knew about this, huh?"

Kuroko didn't say anything but that smile still plastered on his face is more than enough of an answer. "Damn demon." The teacher huffed.

* * *

 _"I'm positive that this is not the way back home."_ Kuroko told Seijuro, eyes wandering around the unfamiliar area.

The academy had dismissed their students and staffs, each and every one of them came pouring out of the building and made their way towards their homes or other places they desired. And this included Seijuro who had just exited the train station, walking leisurely, although lethargic because of what happened at P.E towards a place that's currently unknown to Kuroko.

 _"You'll see."_ Came the vague response Seijuro gave his demon fox.

They went silent, the sounds of the other people in the area being the only sounds between them. Kuroko would often crane his neck, taking in the sights and asking his wielder telepathically numerous questions. Seijuro didn't mind the questions, they were actually enjoyable in a strange way. It reminded him that he wasn't alone.

Usually, he would walk this path by himself, his feet carrying him to his destination as he drowned out the chatters of the people around him. The entire trail was unentertaining. It was just him, amongst the crowded sidewalk, just trying to not bump into people.

But with Kuroko perched on his shoulder, asking small questions and having his ear brush his cheek or neck every now and then made it all so surreal. The sky tinged a bit orange didn't look so boring, the crowded streets not so annoying and even the gray asphalt didn't look as bleak as it used to.

He didn't know that having a companion accompany him like this would make such a difference because before he knew it, he arrived at his destination. A quaint cafe at the outskirts of the city with a small open sign on the glass door.

 _"Is this the place?"_ Kuroko heard Seijuro reply with a yes but found it strange that his wielder was walking to a narrow alley beside the cafe. He opened a metal door and went inside where lockers were lined to the wall, each with a label showing names.

The fox hopped off his shoulder, sitting on the floor. Seijuro closed the door and went to a locker with the name Sei, yanking it open and exchanging his school bag for another set of clothes.

 _"I work here."_ The human finally said when he had enough of the staring, unbuttoning his blazer and shirt before putting on a plain white dress shirt.

 _"Why? I thought humans your age were given allowance by their parents."_ The modern world proved to be an enigma to the fox.

 _"My family isn't like the average family most people have."_ Ah, how could he forget about that? _"My father never gave me any money. He said I should be grateful that he didn't chase me away from the mansion."_

 _"And the necessities? like food or clothes?"_ Surely that man from last night wouldn't let his own son starve or without proper clothes, right?

 _"That too."_ Kuroko's impression on his wielder's father dropped to rock bottom. _"Food, clothes, even toiletries. The only thing he provides is my bedroom at the mansion which was actually a spare bedroom usually used by father's colleagues."_

 _"And your real room?"_

 _"Locked. It's probably used as a storage room. I don't really know myself."_ He closed the locker with a small click, fixing his black tie and smoothing out the waistcoat he wore over the dress shirt. _"You can rest in your jewel or roam around the area if you want."_

Kuroko shook his head, reverting back into human form. "I'll just wait outside on the tree in front of this building."

"Alright." And with that Kuroko went outside, disappearing behind the metal door while he went further inside.

Seijuro entered crowded the cafe, grabbing two menus from the cashier table and heading towards a table occupied by two girls who seems to have waited for a while for a waiter. With a smile, he walked towards them, standing by the table. "Hello. I apologize for the wait. Here are your menus." Was what he said, handling them each a menu before taking out a notepad and pencil from his vest pocket.

Seconds passed with neither girls responding, ogling the waiter who was getting uncomfortable. "Umm... is there something on my face?" He knew there isn't, this is just a small trick he often used to stop some customers from staring at him.

"O-oh, umm. No. There isn't." One of the girls, a blond, stuttered out, opening the menu and scanning the contents.

Works every time.

"Can you recommend anything?" The other one with black hair seemingly more composed said, but there's a slight blush adorning her cheeks.

"Of course. Would you like something filling or light on the stomach?" He answered almost automatically.

"Something sweet and light." The one with black hair said, her friend nodding enthusiastically.

"Then how about trying the strawberry shortcake. It's a favorite among our customers. Or maybe the blueberry cheesecake, sweet with a tinge of sourness." He saw them contemplate it for a bit before ordering two slices of strawberry shortcake, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice. "Please wait awhile for your order." He said after checking the orders with them. Afterward, he took back the menus and left the table, heading towards the kitchen to stick his note to a wall filled with many other notes.

"Order for table seven." He said to the two people in the kitchen.

"Oh! Sei-kun. When did you get here? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry." A teen with ash brown hair said, apologizing profusely for something that doesn't need apologizing.

"I just got here Sakurai and please stop apologizing." Seijuro said exasperatedly. Sakurai apologized one last time before getting back to work. Besides the teen is the ever silent Mitobe who just gave him a nod before focusing back on his task.

"Hey! is the order for tab- Oh! Sei, great timing! Go help out Tsuchida on the second floor." A cheerful teen ordered him. His cat-like features could never be mistaken for someone else.

"Okay." And off he goes, to the second floor.

On a tree, surrounded by the leaves, Kuroko observed his wielder from the glass doors and windows. The human would dart left and right, the first floor to the second floor, from one table to another. It was mindblowing how a cafe could be packed with so many people. He had to wonder just how were the staffs handling it and not crushed by the stress.

But now that he thought about it, this isn't his problem and leaned his back against the tree trunk with one leg dangling from a thick branch he was sitting while his hands were neatly folded on top of his stomach. Better use this opportunity to relax.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami scrawls here and thanks for reading this fic. Before I type anything, I'd like to say happy new year to all of you!

Now, This chapter looked like it doesn't have any importance but I think it did the job to give you all a glimpse into Seijuro's life. I'm sorry if this chapter lacks the desired action, I had trouble writing the dodgeball part, it took me around a week just to finish that. And also, as usual, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors and/or misspellings you may find in this chapter.

As for the orb in the last chapter, It was when the father offered to help others kill his own son. Kuroko had this feeling that things could get dangerous so he set up a protective orb as a fail-safe in case he couldn't manage to defend himself and Seijuro. But he knew Seishuro had the upper hand because he's been a demon wielder longer than Seijuro and had more power and experience, there for overpowering him in his current state. So after setting up the orb, he went to get some tea and eat a little since it would be impolite to not do so and to replenish some of his energy. Then he quickly stole two demonic jewels from Seishuro since he didn't know when things would escalate to the worst, taking advantage of the fact that everyone in the room had their eyes on them and not somewhere else when he asked some recommendations.

Since I'm done with explaining, on to the reviews!

~LucasZorro, Vinoliepie: Thanks! I'm glad you like this fic.

~Rinfantasy: I always thought Kuroko was actually ingenious when it comes to making up strategies, it's just that he's this guy who would prefer to clamp his mouth shut unless asked or when the situation is dire. As for the Akashi family's revenge, I already typed it up XD

~DJ Candy: I was actually aiming for a sarcastic Kuroko but ended making him like this. I was like "What have I done to Kuroko?" when I finished typing. Well too late to change that... I'm happy that you liked the last chapter and the omake! I just thought that since Kuroko is behind the times in this fic, then he'll be confused by almost everything in the modern world he's in now. It was to give him some small characteristics, and it was amusing to write him like that. And he's not innocent but blunt, really really blunt. They'll make appearance in this fic, especially Nigou. As for the orb, I hope I explained it well, I'm not exactly confident with my explanation skills as english is not my first language... so, yeah. (Seijuro has family problems both in school and at home where everything good that ever happened to him either got crushed or taken away from him so of course he'll be more pessimistic.) Oh, and you said that Seishuro reminds you of Owari no Seraph. I haven't actually read the manga nor watched the anime so I don't know what you're going at. LOL, I guess it's because of the time difference because when I updated chapter 3, it was still evening. And don't be sorry for typing long reviews, if you can read my 17K+ words fic then me reading your review is nothing in comparison. I'm actually grateful for those who could spare the time to write a review.

~GuardianWitchDemiGhost: Thanks! I'm glad you like the omake.

~Lil' Dormouse: Sassy and sadistic Kuroko, I also had fun writing him like that and the twisted description Kuroko too! Glad to see that you had fun reading!

~Visually Dreamer: Thanks! About your question, Uhh... Which Akashi? There's like three in this fic. But the answer is that no, they won't be Akashi's demons. I made them wielders in this fic and Kuroko knew the demons they have.

~Tsukiko K: I Know! it was strange to see Seijuro being bullied and all since in the real anime/manga he's all perfect and stuff. And I actually wanted Kuroko to torture them in the last chapter but decided against that. Save the fun stuff for later as they say.

Seems like most of you guys like the omake so I guess I'll continue it. And I want to thank all of you who had wasted your time to read this fic, reviewing and clicking on the like and/or favorite button.

* * *

Omake - Being Careful is Overrated

Seijuro ran to the class. Beside him, Kuroko in his fox form was doing the same. They only have three minutes until the bell rang, every second counts.

After changing his shoes, both of them ran before stopping at the corridor leading towards the class.

The cause of their halted steps were hundreds of traps laid there. The red haired human could identify most of them from Kuroko's explanation earlier in his room, but there were some that's unknown to him.

"Why are they so persistent?" Kuroko sounded tired.

"From what I heard, my brother had a bounty over my head. Who ever could injure me would get a significant amount of money."

The demon's eye twitched, feeling his patience almost reaching its limit. He scanned the area with his eyes before finding what he's looking, a thin string imbued with wind element just like the one in Seijuro's bedroom.

Then, without warning, without Seijuro knowing, Kuroko manipulated a wall's shadow to cut the almost unnoticeable string.

Explosions occurred here and there. The tiny needles that shot out when he activated the trap caused a domino effect that triggered the other traps.

Seijuro who saw the first trap being activated quickly grabbed Kuroko's tail and hid behind a wall, hoping that it wouldn't break from the chaos at the corridor.

When the building stopped rumbling, both of them came out from their cover to witness the outcome. A destroyed corridor and students along with a couple of teachers arriving at the scene.

"You crazy fox! Just look at what you've done!" Seijuro scolded harshly at Kuroko. The demon was dangling upside down since Seijuro still has his grip on his tail, their faces inches apart.

"I know. It's beautiful." The demon sounded happy for once.

"You could've killed both of us there! At least warn me when you're going to do something like that or set up some safety precautions!"

"Oh please, being careful is overrated." Kuroko rolled his eyes, expression bored. That made him look almost comical.

Seijuro had to hold back his inner demon from strangling the fox right there. No, notstrangle, but ripping apart that fluffy, soft, cute, cuddleable tail and making it into a keychain.

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used, they belong to their respective owners.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Lessons from the Demon

A week flew by in a blink of an eye. Neither Seijuro or Kuroko noticed it as the usually chaotic days passed peacefully. It was strange but entirely understandable. Why? Just think about it. Who would be stupid enough to harm them when one is a shadow demon who attacks with methods that would be more fitting to be used to rebellious children. And the other a human who could use fire's secondary element, soul flames.

Apparently none.

No sign of bullying or pranks. The bounty set up by Seishuro was completely forgotten. Everyone was too scared to make a move, had found more value in their lives than chasing at instant cash. It's as if his school life had turned into a normal one. Just the way he wanted it to be.

But all good things comes with strings attached.

Sure, school life now didn't feel like hell and everybody now had left him alone, even when Kuroko was resting in his jewel. But that's the problem. They avoid him. Just a glimpse of his hair or the sounds of his footsteps could make them go running across the corridor. During lessons, they'd scooted their chairs and tables away from him. And during lunchtime, he had the whole class to himself since they prefer eating outside than being in the same room as him.

Apparently, the cause of all that had been rumors that were flying around lately. They say his shadow demon could appear out of nowhere and would make the unfortunate ones do embarrassing things. Well, they're not exactly wrong, it's actually accurate. Because Kuroko, who was ordered by his wielder to not use violence, had released all his pent up frustrations to scar them for life. His methods were so horrible that even one student asked for a class transfer. Seijuro had given up on lecturing his demon at that point.

And because of that, both of them had garnered the attention of the whole school. Well, his sudden ability to use soul flames did contribute to that, but that's beside the point. He's tired. And when it was time for standard wielding class, it just got worse.

Like now.

"You can use soul flames but not regular fire?! What the hell?! Are you kidding me?!" For the nth time, the teacher yelled at him. He waved his finger at Seijuro. The tip of his nail almost stabbing his eyes as spit came flying from his mouth. Other students who were present had stopped whatever they were doing, standing by the side as they spectacle at the single student and teacher.

"I don't understand it myself, Sensei." Seijuro began. "I did what you asked. I followed your instructions." The teacher facepalmed. Not knowing what to do with him.

"Mr. Akashi. You've been in my class for around a week. Even the worst students here could use their first element after three days." The teacher said carefully, pronouncing each word slow and clear. "I don't care if you could use soul flames. You're now a C rank and this is standard wielding class. Unless you could magically go up to A rank or above, you have to be able to use your primary element. Not a secondary one."

"Now let's try again." The teacher stood beside the red haired teen, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just relax. Take a deep breath and slowly let it out." Seijuro did just that. "Outstretch one of your hands, palm facing upwards. Feel the energies around you. Give them a command to gather to your hand, imagine the flames form and make sure the energies you've collected won't disperse. No need to rush."

The boy closed his eyes, feeling the energies. "That's it. Keep it up."

And the scarlet flames appeared. The teacher lets a smile play on his lips. He knew this boy could do it, he's just a late bloomer, just needs a little push in the right direction. The man was about to praise Seijuro when suddenly the flames turned blue and burst. All that were in range of the fire were blasted off from their feet. Even the teacher had to form a shield.

"I told you not to rush! You need to concentrate! Can't you just do it right for once?!" The teacher was furious. Yelling at the top of his lungs at the student who was standing in the middle of the blast. "What is wrong with you?! For my whole life, I've never seen a student who could fail so miserably at producing their first element! I gave you extra lessons, detailed instructions, and showed it step by step! How c-"

"Excuse me." The teacher stopped his yelling to turn his head towards the gym's door. A green haired bespectacled teen stood there. A small teddy bear sat on his left bandaged hand. "I apologize for my interruption, Takeuchi-sensei."

Takeuchi-sensei straightened up and cleared his throat. "Mr. Midorima. What brings you here?"

"I'm here to fetch Akashi-kun." He pushed his glasses further up his nose. "The principal asked for his presence in his office, nanodayo."

"And how do I know you're not lying?" The man narrowed his eyes. Not wanting to fall for another one of the students' pranks and excuses for skipping class.

Already predicting this would happen, Midorima walked towards the teacher while his other hand rummaged his blazer pocket. When he stood at an arm's length from the man, he pulled out a folded piece of paper. The teacher took the sheet and scanned the contents.

"Fine." Takeuchi-sensei conceded, folding back the paper and slipping it into his pocket before barking at Seijuro to "Quickly get changed and go to the principal's office."

The red haired teen wasted no time to do so.

* * *

Three soft knocks were heard, piercing the quietness of the office. The sole dweller of said room ceased his scribbling and let his gaze settle to the closed door. A simple "Come in." slipped from his parted lips, making the door crack open. And in came a red-haired student accompanied by a green haired one who closed the door softly behind him.

"Ah. Mr. Akashi, Mr. Midorima. Have a seat." He greeted his two students. Setting his papers aside for now as he intertwined his fingers on top of the table.

The two teens each pulled out a chair and sat beside each other, facing the man. Emerald and ruby eyes locked into the principal's onyx ones. Each of them not saying a word. The only sounds in the office were the slight hum of the air conditioner and muffled sounds of the students at the field having P.E. It was uncomfortable and awkward. Seijuro had never been called to the principal's office and to suddenly be there made it feel like he'd done something wrong. Well, it could be because he destroyed the field or him being held responsible for Kuroko's behavior. But he didn't have any control of either of that.

He just hopes that the principal understands and won't give him a suspension.

"I'm glad you can come here, Mr. Akashi. I apologize for interrupting your lessons." The man finally said, breaking the silence that had reigned the room a moment ago.

"No. It's alright principal Sanada." Seijuro said politely.

A nod. "I wanted to speak to you regarding matters concerning your rank, and some issues I get from both teachers and students here." The principal eyed the red haired teen. "Firstly, can I ask you summon your demon here?"

Seijuro gave a small nod, pulling out the necklace and touching the ball-shaped jewel. This caused black wisps of shadow particles to shot out of it. Moments later, Kuroko stood beside his wielder, blank faced.

"Ah, So this is him." The man rose from his chair, offering a hand. "I'm Sanada Naoto, The principal here in Teiko Academy. "

Kuroko shook the hand. "A pleasure to meet you. I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, Akashi Seijuro's demon."

"Yes, I know. You've garnered quite the attention here in this academy." Sanada sat back on his seat. "Both positive and negative."

"Now then. Mr. Akashi. I expect you to control your demon. I don't want to hear any complaints regarding Kuroko-san's behavior. And I also expect you to not cause any more trouble." The last one was referring to Kuroko, who just blinked. "If both of you fail to do so. I have the right to drop you out of this academy. We wouldn't want that to happen, right?"

Not waiting for a response, he continued. "Next, I got a report from your P.E teacher, Masako-sensei, that you can use soul flames, is that correct?"

"Yes, although I can't fully control it yet," Seijuro said.

"And from what your standard wielding teacher, Takeuchi-sensei said, you can only use secondary elements, is that right?" Sanada asked again.

"I don't know about the other elements, but so far I can only use soul flames. Whenever I tried to produce regular fire, it would immediately change into its secondary element." The teen explained. Midorima who sat beside him raised an eyebrow, confused while Kuroko kept his poker face.

"So it's true," Sanada said. He had a hard time to believe it the first time Takeuchi-sensei told him that. It was unheard of. But hearing it straight from the student was another thing altogether. A boy who can only control secondary elements.

Usually, one would first learn how to use their primary element's first element. After accomplishing that and learning to control other first elements, they would then learn how to control secondary elements. Starting from their primary element's. For example, in Seijuro's case, he should first learn to control fire, his primary element. After succeeding in controlling that along with being able to form the other five, he'll move on to secondary elements. Then, he'll learn using soul flames before moving on to other secondary elements. In short, first elements before secondary elements. That's the order.

But this boy in front of him defied all the typical ways. A real mystery. An enigma.

"Is there a problem principal Sanada? Am I going to be demoted to D rank?" It would be saddening if that were the case. All the hard work would be for nothing.

Sanada snapped back to reality. "No, quite the contrary, I would like to propose something." The principal looked at Midorima. The bespectacled teen nodded, clearing his throat.

"Aside from wielding, you scored the highest in every single subject. Nanodayo." Midorima began. "And you took wielding theory classes until there's nothing left for the teachers to teach seeing as you've been a D rank student the whole time you studied here, that is, up until recently. It's overdue."

The green haired teen continued. "Taking that into account, and the fact that you can only use soul flames. The principal and the student council discussed of this and decided to give you an exception, nanodayo." Midorima stopped his explaining, silently letting the man take the wheel.

"We decided to promote you to A rank." Sanada said.

Wait...

What?

Seijuro blinked owlishly. He just couldn't believe his ears. He secretly pinched his own arm. It hurt, confirming that this wasn't an overly sweet dream. But even with that small act of making himself believe, it's still hard to do so.

"But," Seijuro quickly composed himself. "I won't just promote you right off the bat like that. You have to prove yourself."

"We decided to arrange a match for you." Midorima took over explaining. "You will battle a student we chose. If you win or showed exceptional results, the principal will promote you to A rank. If not then you'll stay a C rank."

"It's your choice. We understand if you refuse and we won't force you to immediately accept. Take your time and think things over." Sanada said.

Seijuro went silent. Sitting there while fiddling nervously with his fingers. He had to admit, it's tempting. A chance like this won't come a second time. Sure, if he loses he won't be demoted, just simply remaining the same, no actual loss for him. But matches in Teiko Academy are dangerous. Many almost died. He didn't know if he could win. He can't just drag himself and Kuroko like that. It's like willingly entering a lion's cage.

Other things swam in his mind. Numerous situations kept on appearing and being replaced at a rapid speed. Most of them ended up with either them being heavily injured or Kuroko breaking the contract with him right after. He knew he should stop thinking like that. But the risk is huge. There's no saying what will happen. The result could either be amazing or tremendously awful.

 _"Why are you hesitating?"_ A voice slipped into his mind. Seijuro lifted his head to stare at Kuroko who's still standing beside him with that stoic expression.

 _"Matches are dangerous, Kuroko. I don't want to drag you into my mess. You'll get hurt."_ He replied telepathically. Remembering what had happened to the demon during P.E.

 _"If you're worried about me being injured then don't bother. The nurses here have exceptional skills. My arm is in perfect condition."_ And to proof his point, he flexed the limb. The same arm that was cut off during P.E. Kuroko had no trouble moving it around. _"And demons have a far stronger body than that of a human."_

 _"But I still don't think this is a good idea."_

 _"You worry too much."_ Kuroko's voice said. _"It's bound to be dangerous since you're dealing with demons. You're given this chance, don't waste it. Leave the thinking for later."_

 _"That's not the point. Matches here are like battles of life and death. Yes, so far there aren't any death casualties but there-"_

 _"I didn't know that you're such a coward."_ Kuroko cut him off mid-sentence.

"What do you mean?" Seijuro narrowed his eyes at Kuroko. A frown on his face. "I'm merely thinking about the consequences, the risks. I don't want to just charge ahead only to leave regrets later. I thought you understand that."

 _"It's not that I do not understand, nor am I looking down upon you, but I thought it would be such a shame to waste,"_ Kuroko said, immediately trying to explain. _"Try to look at it like this. There are thousands of students here in this academy. Most have their own powers and demons. Everyone is special in their own way, but only a handful of them are in A rank or above. And then there's you who is presented with this chance that most would be willing to die for, an opportunity to rise up the ranks. If you refuse, wouldn't it be an insult to them who are struggling to just go up a rank? Wouldn't that make them see you as a coward or someone ungrateful? Have you thought about it like that, seeing it from their point of view?"_

 _"And how are you going to rise up the ranks when you can't even use first elements? If I'm not mistaken, you need to be able to master your first element to pass standard wielding classes and get to A rank, right?"_

Seijuro stayed silent. Eyes returning to his hands on his laps as he fiddled with his fingers once again. What Kuroko just said actually made sense. With how things are looking for him, accepting the match is the more logical option. But no matter how logical it may be, is it worth it? The fear and hesitation still linger. If he were to choose, he'd rather stay the same than having both of them hurt to the point of dying.

 _"Long ago someone gave me a lesson."_ The demon spoke once again, shifting his gaze to the window where the bright sky showed off its brilliance. Cerulean eyes looking far away, piercing through both space and time. _"This person said to me, 'You won't know until you try. Chances and opportunities won't come to you a second time. If they suddenly appear in front of you, take it. And if you fail, just get up again. It's called living, and mistakes are a part of it. After all, it better to say 'that was stupid of me' rather than 'I should've done that.' Because by then it'll be too late."_ Kuroko gave him a smile. _"That has been one of my life's philosophy."_

 _"And you're not alone. I'll support you."_ And that single sentence sealed the deal.

Seijuro's hands stopped their movements as a small smile played on his lips. Yes, Kuroko's right. Something like this won't just come to him again. He had to try first. He'll save the worrying for later. That was stupid of him, hesitating and fearing the consequences when they haven't even happened. Now, all the doubt he had just moments ago had vanished. Determination had settled in. Kuroko's mini-lecture had given him confidence.

"Alright. I accept the proposal." Seijuro said.

"Very well. The match will be held at the center gym after school on Friday." The principal said. "Be sure to be prepared."

And with that, they were dismissed. Kuroko returning to the jewel while both students left the office, getting back to their interrupted lessons.

* * *

"Your brother agreed," Midorima said as he closed the door of the student council room softly behind him. In the quiet room, sitting at a table, Seishuro casually played shogi with himself.

The single person in the room let out a smile. "Yes, I know. That was expected after all." He answered as his hands rearranged the shogi pieces in front of him. "He's not one to back down so easily."

Midorima walked towards him and took a seat in front of him. He placed his teddy bear beside him and helped Seishuro with rearranging the pieces for a new game. "But he's a bit reluctant to accept at first. Nanodayo."

"He's thinking about the consequences and risks. He's not reckless." The student council president said as the teen in front of him started the game by moving a single piece. "Although I'm guessing the demon had a hand in convincing him."

Midorima nodded, not offering any spoken response to that. Silence reigned over them. Not the tense silence but the calm, soothing kind where each of them appreciates the other's presence. And this was normal for them, especially when they're playing shogi be it during recess like this or after school. There's no need for words in this strategic game where wits collide. The clacks of the pieces as they made their move were enough.

Minutes passed with them just taking turns making a move. Placing the pieces and trying to predict the other's next move. The other students' voices would sometimes leak inside, accompanying the clacks. But they paid no heed to them, the shogi board in front of them absorbing all of their attention. The many strategies in their minds replacing the previous ones in a flash.

It was after Midorima had placed a piece did he decided to break the serene silence between them. "Have you called him?"

"Of course," Seishuro replied. Already knowing who he meant. "Can't have a match without an opponent, right? What about you? Have you checked the center gym?"

"The principal said he'll handle that." The red haired teen nodded. "What about the paperwork? Do you need help? Not that I'm concerned, mind you." Because as the student council president, Seishuro has many duties including tons of paperwork.

"I've already finished all of them." He pointed a finger at a table where the stacks of paper sat. His heterochromatic eyes never left the board as he did that. Still thinking of his next move. "I just need some help in returning them to the staffs."

And when Midorima craned his neck to the supposed table, the word shock was clearly written on his face. The stacks of papers were actually mountains. Each written with small fonts and would be at least five pages long. And those papers had only been delivered here only a couple of days ago. Seishuro had finished them all by himself. It's not natural, it's inhumane,

 _'He's a monster.'_

"Stop staring at the papers, Shintaro. It's your turn."

* * *

It was night. A beautiful night with twinkling stars and a brightly shining moon decorating the dark sky. The trees were rustled by the wind, casting eerie shadows on the grassy ground below. Those same shadows moved and swayed, danced and jump around as a particular demon manipulate them to attack a red haired human.

In a relatively large clearing, Seijuro could be seen dodging the shadows. Scratches marred his skin, results from his carelessness or simply not being able to dodge. He was panting hard, but the attacks hadn't relented even a tiny bit. Ruby eyes would sometimes catch a glimpse of his demon, sitting relaxed on the grass and silently watching the moon...

...With his back facing him. Yes, Kuroko had his back on him, and Seijuro's still trying to at least get a scratch on him.

A tendril went to whip his face. Seijuro backed away only to have a shadow ball coming at him from behind. He ducked, the black ball passed above him. He then immediately rolled away from the tiny needles that shot out under him. Recovering to a crouched position, he threw one of the knives he held towards Kuroko. It sailed the space between them but alas, a tendril swatted it.

Clicking his tongue, he took out another blade from his belt. Blocking a sharp shadow shard and deflecting it so it would fly towards the demon. The shard split into smaller ones and flew back towards him. Seijuro dodged the first one before parrying the second. He twirled his knives and reflected the rest. They went flying but quickly vanish. Not a second later, two black spheres flew towards him from his left and right side. He made quick work of them by throwing both of his knives. They dispersed, and his weapons impaled the trees.

A tendril pulled out one of the knives. It flung the blade at Seijuro who kicked it away. He turned behind him just in time to block another tendril. This one holding his other knife, slashing at him. The human held the sharp blade between his palms before it could. They were locked in a stalemate before the human backed away. The knife cutting the air as he quickly grabbed one of his knives on the grass. The black shadow came at him again, aiming for his eye. Seijuro was quick to roll away and throw his weapon at it. Then without wasting time, he punched the tendril. It vanished.

Seeing as the attacks have stopped, the human took this chance. He threw the two knives at the demon. He then unsheathed his twin swords and charged. Using the knives as a distraction as a tendril swatted them away. Gaining distance towards Kuroko, he held up his swords. They gleamed, now inches away from slashing at Kuroko's shoulders. But then a tendril whipped his feet. The human lost his balance. His grip on his swords loosened. The green ground pillowed his fall. And before he knew it, he came face to face with a sharp black shard. The tip of it slightly piercing his throat.

"I think that's enough for tonight, Akashi-kun." Kuroko's face invaded his view of the sky, and the shard vanished. Sweat came rolling down his face as he panted, out of breath.

"You did a good job." Kuroko gave his wielder a small towel. The human took the fluffy item and wiped his face. "You lasted twenty-two minutes and fifty-seven seconds. Quite the feat if I do say so myself."

"T-that's hardly enough." Seijuro sat up and took the offered water bottle, gulping it greedily. "I won't last long like this."

"True, but I believe you're allowed to use magic, right?" Kuroko said. "One should rotate between attacking physically and using magic to fight more efficiently."

"How am I supposed to do that if I can't even control my primary element?" The human laid back on the grass again. One arm covering his eyes.

The demon didn't say anything but Seijuro could hear the slight rustle of the grass beside him. "Well, I'm sure you can do it with more practice."

Seijuro removed his arm from his eyes. "But we don't have much time."

"Then, can you show me your flames? I want to see how much you've improved."

And without saying a word, Seijuro raised one of his hands to the sky. The back of his hand obscuring his view of the heavens as he concentrated. Eyes closed shut, he felt the energies gather to his palm slowly. The flame's form was etched to his mind, small but otherwise burning brightly in the dark of the night. In no time, he could feel the flames appear as heat started traveling to his hand.

Kuroko watched carefully from his place, laying on the grass beside his wielder. Calculating cerulean eyes light up from the little flame reflected on them. The scarlet fire flickered like a candle's light would when the winds played with them. It shooed away some of the darkness that had ruled over the forest clearing they were at.

But soon after, the flame changed colors to cobalt. The little fire suddenly burst as the human lost control of it. It grew in size, the heat it radiated almost unbearable as the distance between it and them were only an arm's length. If this keeps up the forest will surely burn along with them.

Reacting quickly, the demon manipulated the shadows around them. Commanding them to envelop the wild blue fires. They were quick to obey, containing it within a black sphere. Kuroko then swiped his hand upwards, making the sphere fly up. When the demon deemed it to be at a far enough distance from the grassy ground he laid, he gripped his palm and quickly opened his hand. The black ball compressed and exploded in response to the hand gesture, blue embers came raining down. They died down before they could touch the ground.

Seijuro let out a sigh. "Whenever I try to form normal flames, it'll immediately turn into soul flames. And it'll always either explode or burst like that."

"But at least you could produce them," Kuroko said. "It's an improvement from the first time at the empty gym."

"I guess so. But still, I can't battle like this if my element keeps on exploding on me." The human frowned. Already seeing the chances of him winning dwindling close to zero percent. "I don't know what I did wrong."

"Is there any difference from when you tried to form the flames now, during P.E or at the gym?"

Seijuro stayed silent, recalling each situation in his head. After a few moments and not remembering anything strange, he answered with an "I don't think so."

"Nothing at all? You don't feel anything strange with the energies, your own spiritual flow or even the place in general?" Kuroko pried a little, trying to find the source of the problem.

"No. Nothing's strange." The wielder replied.

Well, if there're no problems with all that then there's only one thing left.

"Akashi-kun. Do you know the nature's law?" Kuroko suddenly asked out of the blue.

"You mean to eat or be eaten? The strong will prevail while the weak shall be history?" Seijuro was confused.

"Well, you're not wrong but not exactly right either." The demon could feel his wielder's eyes on him. "What I meant is what goes around comes back around."

"I don't understand."

"What I'm trying to say is that what you do, what you feel, your intentions, nature knows them all and will reflect them back to you. So if you feel sorry, kept on believing that the world is against you, overall just having negative thoughts in your mind, it'll happen." Kuroko stretched his body for a while. "Mind over matter, as some people would say."

Then, Kuroko raised his hand, slowly waving it left and right above them. "It's the same with the energies around you. They are sensitive to the hearts of those who's trying or are commanding them. You have to have confidence in yourself, believe in the energies. They'll respond accordingly to what's in your heart." Kuroko's fingers now left a trail of shadow particles, and with each wave, Seijuro could feel and see the energies gather even more. They danced along with the limb, obediently following every movement of Kuroko's fingers.

"Manipulating the energies is as natural as breathing. You cannot concentrate too hard nor could you make light of them. You don't need to think. They are a part of nature, the same as all living beings in this world." The particles now grew larger in quantity. And ever so slowly it was now forming into something. "Throw away all your fears and doubts along with your need to have control over them as no living creature could go against nature. Let them guide you. Let them sweep you into their flow. As long as you believe, keep a positive mindset and have no ill intentions, nature shall always be by your side and will repay you plentifully." Kuroko's hand stopped as a black dagger now rests on his palm. He grabbed a thick branch and slashed the blade through it. The piece of wood was cut in half as if it was butter.

The demon gave the black weapon to Seijuro who held and stared at it with fascination."The energies will follow your command by lending you their power. What shape your element will take form, it depends on your imagination." Kuroko pointed at the weapon in Seijuro's hand. "For example, I wanted to make a dagger, a sharp one. The energies knew my intentions and made it the same as what I've pictured in my mind. I didn't think of anything else. Just having the blade's image in my mind."

Seijuro listened to the demon. Now he knew what was wrong. His own thoughts were the cause. Thoughts that ranged from 'I don't know if I can do this' to 'it's impossible for me.' It was like that when he first tried to form his flames at the empty gym, during standard wielding classes and just now. Those negative thoughts swarmed his head, rendering him unable to form his element. But that didn't happen during P.E. At that time he didn't think of anything else. Just that he needs to do this, he can do this. There were no other thoughts, he completely ignored the other factors. And when the ball left his hand, when he saw it turn into a blazing blue sun, it all felt natural. Like he'd done that a million times before.

The little demonstration opened his eyes. The explanation only serves to further proof the cause. That his negative mindset made all of his attempts futile. That he had unconsciously tried to control the energies. He was lucky enough that their retaliation didn't cause him any severe damage. God knows just how horrifying accidents like that can be. But most of all, he didn't believe in himself. How are the energies supposed to lend him their power if he's like that? It's the sad truth, one that he'll do everything to change.

"Now that we know the cause, how about you try it one more time before we head back." Kuroko's voice broke him from his inner thoughts. "If anything goes wrong, I'll handle it."

With a nod, the human held up his hand once more. Taking a deep breath, Seijuro was about to begin gathering the energies when his demon lifted up his other hand. "Try using both hands. It'll help with collecting more energies and stabilizing your element. And this time try imagining your secondary element."

Heeding those words, he positioned his hands so that it looked like he was about to catch the moon. With his ruby eyes closed, he concentrated. He imagined its form. Small, but this time instead of a scarlet color, the flame in his mind is blue. He imagined the soul flames, pictured it burning bright and warm against his skin. Letting nature do its work. Allowing the energies to gather and surge.

And the flames showed itself. Floating just above the pair of hands. It was small but gradually grew in size. At the same time, its radiance and warmth blanketed them. The darkness around them retreated, fearing the element and the cold that came close to them a few moments ago vanished. Seeing this, a smile played on Kuroko's lips. So tiny and fleeting but spoke volumes of how happy and proud he was for the human. He knew his wielder could do it.

"You can open your eyes now." He told the one beside him. Seijuro who heard it opened his eyes and could only widen them further when he saw what he'd done. "Not so hard, right? Now, slowly release the energies you've gathered," Kuroko instructed after he let Seijuro admire it.

The human did so. The element getting smaller and smaller. It almost disappeared, but then the blue embers were suddenly resurrected into a roaring fire. It burst as if enraged, almost swallowing the human. But Kuroko handled it. Encasing it in a black sphere and made it fly and explode like the previous one. Seijuro didn't entirely succeed, but the small blue embers that rained down upon them when it exploded looked like fireworks, felt like a little celebratory. So different from the previous one that symbolizes his failure.

"You're a quick learner." Kuroko stood up, dusting some dirt and grass from his clothing as he began to gather the scattered knives in the clearing. "Let's head back for now. We'll continue tomorrow with physical training and slowly learn magic. Hopefully, when the time comes, you're able to at least hold your element for five minutes."

The human didn't say anything. Just standing up and silently helping the demon with gathering the things. His mood had brightened up. The feeling of accomplishment filled his whole being. All of this is thanks to the demon that's now currently gathering the equipment. The very demon who's actually a great teacher. Taught him much more than Takeuchi-sensei could ever hope. The one who didn't focus on his flaws but found the cause, the one who turned his condition into his strength and the one who made what he thought was an unreachable dream come true.

He didn't know what kind of game fate had been playing with him, but he thanked the stars for letting him meet Kuroko. Because ever since he met the demon, his life had changed for the better. The regular old days becoming much brighter.

He let a small whispered _'thank you'_ escape telepathically as he continued with his cleaning activity. Not trusting the winds to carry his words of appreciation. And he didn't miss the way Kuroko twitched, stopping his body's movements for a split second as he turned his back to pull a blade from the ground. Those simple words may not mean much to other people, but for both of them, it felt like it meant more. Much more.

 _Words like that are wasted on me..._

* * *

"I forgot to ask you something."

Seijuro glanced over his shoulder at the demon walking beside him towards the gym. "Ask what?"

"This battle we're having. What are the rules?" Kuroko felt like hitting himself for forgetting something as important as the rules. Apparently focusing too hard on training made him like that.

"They may vary, but it's more or less the same as the dodgeball rule during P.E." They took a turn and proceed with walking, passing by the field. "We'll hear more of it later before the match."

Not offering any verbal response, Kuroko followed his wielder. Although there's something he still needs to ask. "This match is to see if you're worthy of a rank raise, right?"

"Yes."

"But what is the difference between each rank?" Kuroko scratched his head a bit. "I know that the higher the rank, the tougher the wielding classes and there are some requirements to go to the next rank, but is that all? Are ranks here really that important? I'm still a little confused. "

Seijuro adjusted the school bag on his shoulder. "No, there's more. As you may know, there are five ranks in this academy that are D, C, B, A, and S. D is the lowest rank and S is the highest." Kuroko hummed, telling him that he was listening. "D rank is for those who's the worst of the worst or hadn't contracted a demon, like me before I met you. They can only take wielding theories. C rank is for those who just contracted with a demon, still struggling to form their first element, as I am now. They can take standard wielding classes."

They kept walking. The center gym now within eyesight. "B rank is for those who had mastered their first element and are working on forming other first elements. A rank is for those who had mastered their first element and could from all the other first elements, mastering them aren't really necessary. They can take advanced wielding classes where they will work on mastering their secondary element."

"And S rank is for those who mastered their primary element, both first and secondary element." The demon continued for his wielder.

"You're right, but advancing from A rank to S rank is not that simple. For one to do so, they have to show exceptional skills." They went inside the gym, it was partially filled with both students and teacher who went there to watch the match. Their eyes followed both of them as Seijuro kept on explaining and Kuroko listening. "The teachers will recommend those students while the one who'd be the judge of that is the principal. Those of S ranks are given special privileges and are members of the student council. Although, there's also the grand tournament where A ranks and S ranks battled. The top ten students will be student council members while the winner is to be the student council president who will decide the others' positions."

Both of them entered the changing room to get ready. Closing the steel door with a small bang. "Ranks here basically decides your future. As we are those who could see the unseen, we demon wielders are in high demand especially in the defense and security and medical fields since nowadays 'supernatural phenomenon' are causing quite a ruckus. We usually came from generations of demon wielders and to get a job at one of those fields is every family's goal. If one has a low rank by the time they graduate, chances are they would bring shame to their families and would have a hard time finding work elsewhere since the curriculum here focuses more on wielding, unlike regular schools. But it's not like finding other occupations is impossible."

Kuroko hummed before changing into his fox form, sitting on the floor as he waited for the human get ready. He glanced at the walls and saw them being covered by various weapons. Finding them interesting, he walked towards a wall. It has weapons that ranged from swords to arrows, spears to war hammers, it literally has all the weapons he could name. Forming a thin rope, the demon manipulated it so it would curl around a pair of swords. It unlatched the blades from its straps on the wall and brought it closer to the fox.

The demon examined them. The handle was made so that whoever decides to use the swords, they could grip it without worrying about them slipping from their hands. Kuroko materialized two more ropes to unsheath the weapons. The blade gleamed from the room's lighting, the steel smooth and sharp, no signs of rusting or even a slight nick to it. Not too light or too heavy and they weighed the same. It's of top quality and apparently made by a skilled blacksmith with a loving hand.

"I was about to use those." Kuroko turned his head to see his wielder crouching beside him. "The twin swords."

 _"Here."_ The fox sheathed the swords and handed them to Seijuro.

"Are you not going to use them?" Seijuro took the swords from the ropes. They dissipated as soon as he did so. "I can pick other weapons."

A shook of the head. _"No, I don't actually use weapons when fighting, but if the situation calls for it, then I usually go for daggers."_

The human stood up and unlatched a pair of daggers from the wall. "Then use these. Better save than sorry, right?"

"Alright." The demon took the weapons offered to him as the human took some small knives from the collection of weapons in front of them.

When they had finished preparing and choosing weapons, both of them walked out of the changing room and sat on one of the benches as they waited for the match to begin. The center gym was huge, it looked more like a stadium with its high ceiling and many lights. And up at the stands, the seats were starting to fill. Quite a lot of the student body came to watch. Some of them looking down on Seijuro, wanting to see him lose. Kuroko could identify some who he 'punished.'

Minutes passed as both distracted themselves with their own methods. Seijuro with fiddling with his weapons and Kuroko with observing the people in the gym. It was around fifteen minutes before the match starts that Masako-sensei, the P.E teacher, stood at the center. She signaled for them to come over. And when they did, She gave Seijuro two black bracelets made from metal, plain and not eye catching but Kuroko felt some magic from the items. The demon saw his wielder putting it on his wrist.

 _"It's a device to keep the scores."_ Seijuro's voice leaked into his mind, explain to him. The human crouched and slipped the bracelet to his front leg. It immediately adjusted its size to fit perfectly. "Whatever we do, be it attacking, defending, casting spells or getting hurt, these bracelets will keep the scores. We won't know how much points we have until the end of the match."

 _"When will the match end?"_ Kuroko pawed the bracelet. His eyes scanned the accessory to try to find any indication that the points were there.

 _"It depends. It ends when one side can't continue anymore, when one side forfeits, or when the one hour time's up. If the last one happens, they'll see our scores. The side with more points wins."_

The fox nodded. _"Are we allowed to break their bones? It'll be easier to defeat our opponents if we cripple them."_ Kuroko asked a sadistic question.

 _"As I said before, the rules vary and can be customized. We'll hear it more when our opponents arrive."_ Seijuro's settled his gaze to the gym's entrance. No sign of his unknown opponent. They waited and waited until it was ten minutes after the supposed match time. The people in the gym began to feel restless.

"I'll give him five more minutes," Both heard Masako-sensei grumble as she glared at her watch. Her foot tapping impatiently.

Not a moment later after she said that, rushed steps were heard along with pants. All the other students averted their gaze to the entrance where a teen stood. He was hunched over and breathing heavily, his blond strands of hair fell to cover his eyes as his hands gripped his knees to stabilize himself. "S-sorry... I'm... late." He called to the occupants of the gym.

All eyes were on the teen, and before they knew it, cheers erupted when they finally realize the opponent. It was deafening, but Masako-sensei ignored the cheers. She walked to the tardy student and hit his head, berating him for being late. The teen sheepishly apologizes, rubbing at the spot he was whacked.

And Seijuro could only stare at the teen. In his mind, he silently cursed himself for being so stupid, for being caught up in this trap. He knew it. The offer was too suspicious, too good to be true. Of course, his brother would pick a top student to be his opponent. One of the S rank miracles, Kise Ryouta.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thanks for reading this fic. I'm sorry for the late update. Been feeling under the weather for a while and assignments kept on piling up. Well, my own ramblings aside, I hope you had fun reading.

About this chapter, there's not much going on, but it did advance the story and plot. I typed up a little battle scene between Seijuro and Kuroko (the little practice they had.) It's my first time writing something like that, so I'm not really confident. Let me know what you think about it and maybe give some pointers if it's not much of a bother because the later chapters will have more battle scenes. I dug up my own grave with this fic...

Anyways, on to the reviews!

~Rinfantasy: Yeah, they're too much. When I typed the chapter, I feel a bit awful for Seijuro, but Kuroko handled everything. The fox is too sneaky. And about the soul flames, I explained it a bit. Just hope that I did a good job and didn't make things more confusing. Thanks! The omake just popped in my head, and I just can't resist typing it up.

~DJ Candy: *reads the reviews* Damn that's long. But anyway, thanks a lot for wasting your time to type a review. About Seijuro suing his family, I thought about it, but you know people like Masaomi these days. With all the money and power he has, I doubt anyone could even find any dirt about him. And if Seijuro did sue him, it'll just make his situation even worse. What's going through their minds when they put up the traps? Probably revenge. Kuroko freaking handed their asses to them, and Seijuro is his wielder. Of course, they'd at least want to cause some troubles for him even if not much and they already know that Kuroko could somehow handle it. And if they managed to kill Seijuro... I'll leave it to your imagination as to how Kuroko will react. The Akashi patriarch has no demon? Well, does he have one or not? Let your imagination fly! Their 'casual' walk to school, I just thought that since Kuroko could handle Seishuro's attack, he could handle the other students' too.

About the dodgeball rule. I actually searched the internet for the rules as I've never played dodgeball. During my school days, the teacher would usually make us play basketball, soccer, or baseball. I think the reason we never played dodgeball and the teacher never propose the game is because my class tends to be too energetic and violent during sports. It's no that we punch people randomly, but we used to get hurt all the time and accidents are no strange occurrence for us. My friend got a broken arm when doing gymnastics, another got a critical hit to the balls with a soccer ball (he was the goalkeeper). I myself got a ball to the face when playing soccer, a baseball hitting me on my lapel, and got my ring finger bent all the way to the back of my hand when trying to get the ball during basketball tip-off (It swelled for about a week, and I can't write properly.) So yeah... But I don't know about you, though. Your school life could be more violent than mine (or not, I don't know).

And about Reo, I thought he acted a bit, uhh... girly? (I don't know the correct wording to describe him.) So I made him a bit motherly. Even Kotaro called him Reo-nee if I'm not mistaken. About Seijuro, Yeah I mace him a bit OOC in this fic, but I always thought oreshi is a hard worker. Just that his efforts were usually taken for granted. While bokushi is all talented and stuff and he feels that it's natural for him to accomplish so much. And the omake, it was a random idea that popped into my head. As for the tail, it just reminds me of the fluffy keychain things that many girls usually have attached to their bag's zippers. It was a trend for around a year before it died out.

For my English, I think I'm not that good seeing as I tend to mix up the vocabulary and grammar when speaking or writing, and I sometimes write in either US English or UK English without noticing (like color and colour, grey and gray, etc.) You don't know just how many times I had to reread my own fics only to find massive amounts of mistakes right after I publish. So annoying and embarrassing at the same time.

Ohhhh... so the anime just reminds you of the name. I thought it was something like how I made his character. My friends had watched the anime and recommended me to do so. I think I'll watch it if I have the time. It sounds interesting. I actually read the synopsis.

And I guess that's it. Goodness, I typed so much... Really sorry for the long review response. It's all jumbled and messy and... I don't know. Hope you're not confused trying to read all that.

~Zleihsh: Thank you! The world setting is actually just me describing what I saw in the anime and/or manga. Really happy to see you like it! Oh, you have the fluffy keychain? I bet it's all soft. I actually touched and played with my friend's a long time ago, but it got all lumpy, and some of the furs fell off...

~Godess Bubbles: Umm, I'm sorry. Really sorry but I don't know who're the 'they' in your first question. Can you type specifically the people you meant in your question? Is Kuroko the king? Hmm... I don't know if I should answer that. When will the other miracles appear? Soon. They'll show up slowly. And of course, I'll update as fast as I can.

~MyEternalNightmares: Thanks! Glad you like it. The witty Kuroko was actually typed by accident since I firstly wanted him to be sarcastic. Too late to change it now, I guess.

That's it! Thanks again for reading this fic, reviewing and clicking on the follow and/or favorite button. I apologize for any grammatical errors and/or any misspellings you may find. Have a great day guys!

* * *

Omake - Laundry Day

It was Sunday. The only day off he has every week. And today's weather is sunny, a perfect day to do the laundry.

At the back of the mansion found a certain red haired human standing on a stool. A large bucket full of clean freshly squeezed clothes sat on the ground under the many ropes tied from one tree to another, acting as a clothesline.

He was peacefully doing his chore, silently clipping clothes with clothespins as he enjoyed the simplicity of it, a contrast to the chaotic week he had. Then suddenly, his eyes caught sight of something that's he's absolutely sure wasn't there before. The result is him getting surprised, losing his balance and falling down flat on his back.

"Are you okay?" Kuroko's monotone voice was heard.

"I'm fine." He sat up, rubbing his head. "When did you come out?"

"Since the beginning." The same answer again. The human let out a sigh.

Kuroko looked at Seijuro, then the bucket of clothes, and back again at Seijuro. "Do you need help?" The demon said.

"No, I can do this on my-" The human stopped himself mid-sentence when he saw the stool. It was broken, probably from the fall. "On second thought, can you help?"

The demon nodded then crouched beside the poor stool. "You killed the stool, Akashi-kun."

"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't suddenly appear out of nowhere."

"Maybe you're just heavy."

A vein popped on Seijuro's neck. "What? Me, heavy?"

"It probably can't withstand your weight. Poor stool-kun." The demon said that without hesitation.

"You-" A sigh. "Let's just think of a plan on how are we supposed to hang the clothes." Seijuro forced himself to calm down, with much difficulty.

"Hmm... Oh! I have a plan."

***Plan A***

"So you'll climb the tree, and I throw the clothes and pins to you. Is that right?"

"That's right." Kuroko nodded before climbing a tree with such ease. "Please throw them at me." He said when he had sat on a branch.

Seijuro threw the items fluidly. Kuroko catching it without trouble and started hanging the clothes and pinching it with the pin. It went on like that for the next five clothes before a crack was heard. And before they knew it, the branch broke. Kuroko fell down and landed face first on the ground.

"You are beauty, you are grace, and you fell on your face..." Seijuro monotonously recited a mini poem. An amused smile on his face.

"The branch was fragile," Kuroko said, sitting up.

"No, you're just heavy."

"Heavy you say?" This time it was Kuroko who got irritated.

***Plan B***

"You sit on my shoulders and hang the clothes. I don't think that'll work." Seijuro said.

"Let's just try it first." Kuroko climbed his wielder and sat on his shoulders. Seijuro then gave his demon a wet shirt.

"Why am I at the bottom?" Seijuro asked after a while, crouching a bit with much difficulty before handing Kuroko a wet clothing and a clothespin.

"Because you're bigger than me and therefore heavier than me." And Seijuro suddenly 'fell,' knees losing their power and making Kuroko fall from his perch.

"My apologies. I suddenly felt tired. Maybe I can't withstand your weight."

Kuroko gave him his own version of the stink eye.

***Plan C***

"Why am I the stool?" Seijuro asked from his position on the ground. Down on all fours as he withstands Kuroko's weight.

"I'm avenging poor stool-kun. You have to atone yourself by feeling its agony." Kuroko hung a pair of shorts, slightly smoothing out the wrinkles before clipping them.

Seijuro kept quiet. Tired of arguing with the demon as doing so will only delay the chore. Both of them didn't say a word. Each of them busy with their own roles. It was after a while that Seijuro felt Kuroko's feet stepping more to the right.

"Kuroko. Tell me if you can't reach the other side. I'll move a-" He didn't get to finish his sentence when he suddenly had a mouthful of dirt on his mouth. The cause was his head beeing stepped on, and this resulted in Kuroko falling down. Again...

"I didn't know you love the ground so much that you'll kiss it," Kuroko said, clearly enjoying the sight. He looked as if he had accomplished a secret mission of his own as he didn't mind his fall.

"You did that on purpose." Seijuro wiped his face with the hem of his shirt. He spits as much dirt as he can.

"I don't know what you're talking about." That innocent face is clearly anything but innocent.

***Plan D***

"This is getting nowhere." Kuroko stared at the bucket. Its contents only depleted a little.

Seijuro didn't say anything as he stared at the clothesline, the bucket, then at the trees.

The trees...

Wait...

"Kuroko." The demon glanced his way. "Can't you just use the shadows to hang the clothes? The trees provide a decent shade."

And Kuroko had this face on him. The kind of expression when one was suddenly struck by some inspiration. Or maybe just remembering something so obvious...

"You're right." He then manipulated the shadows so that it formed giant hands. They easily finished the chore.

"Why didn't you do this earlier?" Seijuro took the empty bucket after every single clothes were hanging on the clothesline.

"I usually do menial chores manually. I don't like having to rely on magic." The human gave him a blank stare.

"Whatever you say, Kuroko Oji-san."

 _Just admit that you forgot._

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - The Match

The crowds were roaring, deafening and energetic. Looking like they won't calm down anytime soon. The huge stadium's walls have served to just further amplify the sounds. While below, the source of their cheers could be seen. A couple of People in the center standing in front of each other.

A thunderclap suddenly boomed, the one who made it possible is Masako-sensei. The cheers halted. No one brave enough to make a squeak, not wanting to further irritate the teacher notorious for her short temper and violent ways of punishment.

"THE MATCH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN SHORTLY. IF ANY OF YOU MAKE A SINGLE SOUND, I'LL KICK YOU OUT OF THIS GYM. I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE GIRLS, BOYS OR FELLOW STAFFS." Masako-sensei yelled, her voice reaching to the far corners of the stadium.

Silence. Even a pin drop could easily be heard.

The female P.E teacher scoffed. Finally, some peace and quiet.

"Now, I will explain the rules." She continued with a much smaller voice but nonetheless still loud enough to be heard by all in the building.

"First, this match will follow the standard rule of one hour time with a random field. Second, both wielders can only to use primary elements. Both of you are free to switch between first and second elements. Any other elements will be disabled when the match starts. And finally, like always, do not cheat or cause any permanent damage. Failing to do that will result in either a demotion, a suspension or getting expelled out of this academy."

"Any questions?"

The red haired student raised his hand, the teacher gestured for him to speak.

"My demon asked if he's allowed to break our opponent's bones."

"You may." The Fox was happy. "But only if you're sure that the bones won't hit any vital organs and could be healed when the match's over."

"Any other questions? No? Then please take five steps backward."

They did as asked. Masako-sensei walking to the side of the arena.

"You know, I heard all about this match," Kise said, taking one last step backward. "Something like if you win or showed great results, they'll promote you to A rank."

The one spoken to stayed silent. Hands already unsheathing two knives. Masako-sensei is starting a countdown, assisted by the crowd.

"And I also heard about your 'debut' during P.E. Too bad I can't attend school that day." Kise sneered, a sword now gripped firmly in his hand. "Well, may luck be on your side."

A cube like object was thrown into the air. Kuroko's eyes followed the object's trajectory. It spun and glowed bright, engulfing the whole arena. The energies then shifted, weaving itself at a rapid pace. They could literary feel the ground change, hear the crowd's voice growing fainter. When they have stabilized, the light subsided, and the surroundings had changed.

Gone were the noisy crowd and high ceilings, the blaring lights and the polished wood floor. The place they're in now is a forest with a bright sky as their roof. Grasses have replaced the floor along with a flowing river. The water pristine as the shadow demon could see the bottom of the lake clearly.

 _"A Phantasma Field?"_ Kuroko asked telepathically.

Seijuro nodded. _"You're free to use magic, cause havoc, and release all your pent up frustrations here. Any damage done will be erased the moment the spell expires."_ Seijuro continued as he gripped his knives tighter when he saw Kise forming a long, sharp icicle. _"Although, whatever injury you nurse before, during or after the battle will remain. Also, the damage done to anyone here will be reduced."_

And the sharp ice was lobbed to the pair. Seijuro acting quick, rolled to the right. While Kuroko formed a shield that shapeshifted into a large hand. Catching it and throwing the icicle back at the blond.

Kise merely tilted his head. The ice stabbing the grass behind him freezing some of the green blades. He then formed a shield made of water as three small blue fireballs came out of nowhere. The flames died almost instantly.

"Huh. So it's true. You _can_ use soul flames." He shrugged. "But no matter. Water beats fire anyway."

Seijuro charged, one knife leading the way as it sailed the air towards Kise.

The blade was sidestepped. Then the blonde blocked the other knife that was inches away from his abdomen before swinging his weapon to the side. This resulted in the knife flying in a random direction, forcefully released from Seijuro's grip. Kise then quickly thrust his sword towards his opponent's shoulder. The red haired teen jumped back.

But behind him was a frozen patch of grass. Seijuro stepped on it and accidently slipped, falling flat on his back. Some of the sharp tiny shards grazed his ankle. Seeing his chance, Kise raise his sword. The smaller of them immediately rolled away before the sharp blade could make contact with his skin. Cursing his own clumsiness.

Not giving him time to recover, Kise attacked, ruthless and vicious. Seijuro couldn't do much than dodge, legs stepping back, further bringing them into the mass of trees. The ruby eyed teen struggled with the blond's fast swordplay, skin slowly marred with cuts both deep and shallow.

One hand secretly reached for his sword. This did not escape those honey colored orbs. Kise slashed at the space between those fingers and the sword's handle.

"Not a chance." Kise grinned, menacing and cruel.

He felt his back touched a tree's trunk, halting his steps. Smirking, the teen in front of him trusted his blade. The steel glimmered, inches away from his skin. And Seijuro braced himself for the pain, almost able to picture the blood trickling, warm and thick. But the sound of metal clashing with metal interfered it. Ringing and reverberating in the air. Making the horrid image fade in an instant.

"Wha- ARGH!" And his opponent fell, one hand clutching his arm with blood seeping through the fingers. The sword left forgotten on the grass.

In front of him stood Kuroko already in his human form. A knife held in one hand, bloodied. It was Seijuro's knife from before.

Seeing his chance, the demon didn't wait for Kise to recover. He swiftly formed a black shard, sending it towards Kise's leg with deadly accuracy. The blond was quick to move his limb away but couldn't entirely dodge it as the metal grazed him.

With Kuroko surrounded by his element, five shadow balls instantly formed. Honey eyes widened, their owner quick to roll away before creating a shield. The attack didn't make contact with their target, but it did cover Kise's sight for a while. Taking advantage of this, Kuroko snatched Kise's sword, throwing it to the side where it stuck to a stone. Handing back the knife to Seijuro.

Unfortunately, the time it took for Kuroko to dispose of the weapon was enough for the opponent to summon his demon.

Seijuro heard Kuroko click his tongue. His hands covered by shadow particles raised in front of his chest. The human followed his demon's example by pulling out his twin swords. Wary and ready to attack if need to.

Blue particles shot out from the earring Kise wore on his left ear. And just like how Kuroko was summoned, the particles danced the same way. They gathered and compressed before dissipating to reveal a black haired demon.

"That was a good rest." The demon stretched, yawning. "Wha- Where are we?!" He glanced at his wielder who was on the ground, clutching a bloody arm. "What happened to you?"

"We're in a phantasma field. I got slashed by a knife."

"Phantasma field? Wait." Then with his anger boiling, the demon kicked him in a fit of rage. "You idiot human! If you're in a match, then summon me!"

"Wahhh, Kasamatsucchi stop! You're gonna decrease our points-ssu!" Kise whined, covering his head.

"Like I care!"

And the supposed opponents stood, glancing at each other. Their weapons lowered and energies dissipating as they spectate with growing amusement. Neither of them tried to stop the bickering, enjoying them impromptu entertainment.

After a while, Kasamatsu stopped. "Damn it. Just give me the bracelet."

Kise handed his demon the black bracelet that would keep their scores without a word.

"Alright, who're our opponents." His wielder stood up and pointed to the side.

"Those two."

Bluish gray eyes saw a red haired human standing there under a large tree. Furrowing his brow, the demon shifted his gaze around, not finding the other.

Kasamatsu glanced at Kise. "Quit messing around. There's only that human."

"But he's right there."

"Where? I don't see- Woah!" He took a step back as Kuroko suddenly stood in front of him.

"Hello, Kasamatsu-san." Kuroko greeted in his ever glorious monotone voice.

"Kuroko?" Then Kasamatsu kicked Kise again. "You idiot! You think you can win against him by yourself! Did your brain gave away?"

"Ow! But why? He's just a weak demon, right? What's so special about him?" Crocodile tears flowed from his eyes. "You're so mean, Kasamatsucchi!"

"Why? Oh, I'll tell you why." His finger pointed at Kuroko. "That 'weak' demon is a member of Seirin! And how many times do I have to tell you not to underestimate your opponent!"

"What?!" Both humans exclaimed, shocked.

"He's a member of Seirin? But-" And the rest of Kise and Kasamatsu's conversation blurred. Seijuro didn't hear any of it, eyes trained to his demon's back.

" _You're a member of Seirin?"_

" _Yes."_

" _And you didn't bother to tell me?"_

" _You didn't ask."_

" _We're having a long talk after this."_

" _Whatever you say."_ Kasamatsu immediately puts some distance between them. And just in time to dodge Kuroko's attack which is a hand covered by his element.

"I apologize Kasamatsu-san. Please don't take it to heart."

And the little demon snapped his fingers. Above both Kise and Kasamatsu, tiny needles had formed. Each sharp and nearly indiscernible.

Kasamatsu cursed.

"May luck be on your side."

The needles rained down on them.

"Run!" Kasamatsu and Kise flee from the onslaught. Seijuro gave chase while Kuroko who had shifted into his fox form took his usual place on his shoulder. The demon still maintaining the myriad needles. They ran towards the clearing where the match first started, feet pounding on the grass and breaking small branches.

By the time all of them came out into the clearing, the needles had stopped but the damages are evident. Both Kasamatsu and Kise had their skin covered by prickles that had leaked tiny dots of blood but not causing any serious damage.

Seijuro stood in a defensive stance although with twin swords at the ready to strike anytime. While Kuroko stayed at the edge of the clearing. The shadow demon morphed his element into tendrils, surrounding the clearing. Separating himself from the rest that stood in the middle.

"You dumb human. You let yourself bet lured into the enemy's element." Kasamatsu scolded his human.

Kise whined, using the excuse of him not knowing about Kuroko.

Clicking his tongue, the demon formed an ice spear. Long, sharp and definitely weighed like lead.

 _"Surround your weapons with your element!"_ Kuroko shouted to his wielder telepathically as Kasamatsu charged at them. The spear's tip pointed at Seijuro. The water demon handled the weapon like it was nothing.

Seijuro reflexively blocked the attack. Frost rapidly spread when his swords touched the spear. The red haired human released his hold on the weapon, flinching at his fingers that were suffering from frostbites.

Seeing this, Kuroko manipulated his wielder's shadow. It rose, grabbed the dropped swords and swung. Attacking with precise movements as the water demon blocked and parried with all his might. Kise couldn't do much to help, busy with dodging the tendrils that had moved to whip him.

" _Are you alright?"_ Seijuro heard his demon ask through the link.

" _I'm fine. Though I can't feel my hands."_ Ruby eyes saw the shadows fighting. _"I'm sorry for being a burden."_

" _No, It's my fault. I asked you the impossible just then."_ Kuroko sneakily let a tendril wrap around Kise's ankle. He tripped and was now dangling from above. _"But aside from that, I can't keep this up for much longer. Do you have a plan?"_

The red haired human accessed his surroundings, trying to find something, anything to use to their advantage. The trees cast shadows, the river flowed gently, the tendrils swayed, a shadow puppet fighting a demon. Then there's Kuroko, location unknown even to him. _"Kuroko. Where are you now?"_

The link was silent for a while before the soft voice rang in his mind, ragged. _"Under a tree behind Kasamatsu-san."_

Red eyes blinked. _"How can you move so fast?"_ Because last time he remembered, Kuroko was behind him.

" _I can move freely by using the shadows."_ The puppet and tendrils flickered. Energies unstable as the one who commands them grew more tired with each passing second.

Seijuro hummed. That's an interesting fact. Slowly, he slinked away to the side of the clearing towards his demon. _" Retreat to my shadow Kuroko. I'll make a diversion."_

 _"And what about you?"_

 _"Just focus on recovering. I'll try to hold them off for you."_ Kuroko didn't like the idea.

 _"Don't be so reckless. I can't take that risk. You'll die."_ The shadow demon refused.

 _"It'll be more dangerous if you tire yourself and lost consciousness."_ Seijuro pointed out. And the link was silent, the demon not replying. _"Kuroko."_

" _...Okay."_ He finally conceded. _"On the count of three, I'll stop all attacks."_

The human raised his hands high. And soon there's a sizeable blazing boulder above the clearing. _"I'm ready."_

" _One… Two… Three!"_

The fires crashed on the field just in time for the shadows to retreat.

Smoke rose, some of the trees pulled right off the ground by the roots. The clearing now a large, deep crater.

"Not bad."

From the center of the field, Kasamatsu could be seen. He had stabbed his spear to the ground so as to have something to hold on and was now gripping his shoulder, bone dislocated while his skin was marred with burn marks. As for Kise, he was thrown out into the air and landed somewhere in the mass of trees. No accurate location and probably unconscious.

"But play time's over." The tone ice cold. Kasamatsu straightened up. Forcefully pushing at his shoulder and with a sickening crack, the bone returned to its rightful position.

The demon reverted into a sea serpent with pale blue scales that were almost white as they glistened from the sunlight above. Large and delicate fins sprouted from the sides of his head. And at the base of the tailfin, a silver ring with four silver hoops similar to Kuroko's could be seen. Two pairs of wings grew on the serpent's back. One at the middle of its long body the other lower towards the tail.

A sudden surge of energy. Seijuro was almost overwhelmed by the intensity of it as he saw the demon release two of his seals. It was proven by the fact that the serpent now has two sharp icicles sprouting from his back, in between the long fins running along the back. And the demon physically grew in size, towering over him.

The temperature dropped several degrees as Kasamatsu quickly formed tiny icicles right above Seijuro. The amount was incredible. And when they were sent down to rain upon him, the human barely had time to create a dome of flames around him. The ice melted from the heat of his fires, evaporating into steam with a hiss.

But the water demon knew the dome won't last for much longer. And true to his thoughts, the energies grew weaker until finally, the ice reached the flame user.

Seijuro quickly ran when he felt the ice hit his skin, retreating to the forest behind him as he toned down his spiritual flow. The needles followed him, prickling and causing frostbites to form on his skin. Most of his body felt numb, the pain stinging and burning at the same time. But he kept running, trying to put as much distance from the demon and finding a hiding place at the same time.

His eyes caught sight of a hanging vine. Not wasting time, he climbed it. And although difficult, he managed to reach a rather thick branch and sat on it. The human, having blended with the lush leaves, deemed it safe and inspected the extent his injuries.

And the sight made his frown grew deeper if that's possible.

The frostbites were far worse than what he had thought. His skin now not its usual pale complexion. It's now covered with bristles, red, blue and white blotches, and even some black ones. But his arms had taken most of the damage since he had protected himself with it when his dome disintegrated. He hissed in pain when he tried to lean back on the tree trunk. Seems like his back is also affected.

Ruby eyes cast their gaze at the sky. The sun was setting, and the once blue heavens were tinged a bit orange. The phantasma field had twisted the time here. No wonder the blisters appeared so fast in such a short amount of time. He just hoped that it won't suddenly hail or rain here. It'll make his already bad situation much worse.

 _"Akashi-kun. Are you alright?"_ Kuroko's voice suddenly entered his mind. Asking the same question again.

 _"Not really. Kasamatsu-san rained me with tiny icicles. Just like what you did with them earlier."_ Seijuro let his eyes swept the ground below. _"My body's covered with frostbites. All first through fourth degrees."_

 _"Kasamatsu-san is close too."_ And true to his demon's words, the serpent came out from the bushes and was now slithering below. The patches of grass where Kasamatsu had slithered on had frozen _. "It won't be long until he notices you."_

Seijuro bit his bottom lip in frustration. Gaze focused on the serpent below who was slamming his tail to the frozen grass. The air grew colder when he did that. The human quickly put a hand to hide his breath. Not wanting for the opponent to know his location.

 _"Tell me Akashi-kun. Are Kasamatsu-san's seals released?"_ Because the energies are high. The air seemed as if rigid.

 _"Yes. Two of them."_ The link was silent. Kuroko not answering. And with each passing second, the tension grew. The water demon could be seen forming icicles again. This time they were the size of an adult's arm and far more deadly. He flung one at a tree beside his, it instantly froze. _"Kuroko?"_

A sigh before his shadow moved. It slithered on the branch and rose, forming and compressing until Kuroko appeared. Sitting there, calmly looking below. _"I did not want to do this. But the situation seems to be dire. I have no other choice."_

 _"What do you mean? And you shouldn't be out yet. I doubt you have already recovered."_

 _"I've recovered some of my strength. For me to fully recover would take too long."_ The demon shifted into a crouching position. _"I'm going to confront him directly. Please provide support by attacking the target with small fires. Make sure they are shot at the minimum range of two meters from your current location and are accurate. We cannot afford to waste any more of your energy. And do not let the opponent know of your location. If that happens quickly evacuate to a safer position. Whatever happens to me do not, I repeat, do not attempt to confront him directly as that would mean exposing yourself to him, and he will no doubt target you."_

And without waiting for a response from Seijuro, he jumped off the branch. Landing on another branch of a tree a couple meters behind the tree his wielder's at before jumping off. Feet touching gracefully and silently to the ground, Kuroko walked calmly towards the serpent. The human had his eyes trained to his demon.

The water demon perked up when he heard the sound of rustling. Assuming that the human was there, he threw on of the icicles he had towards the direction he heard the sound.

A dull slap was heard, and the ice impaled a tree. Instantly freezing it.

 _"Finally decided to show up, huh?"_ The serpent's voice seemingly coming from everywhere. It reverberated, echoing slightly.

"Yes. To think that in such a short amount of time, my wielder sustained a worrying amount of damage. I see you never hold back. Like always."

 _"Going easy on an opponent would be an insult. Showing mercy is like directly lowering their pride. You of all should know that."_

"Indeed." Kuroko reverted to his fox form. The demon looking tiny in the face of the serpent. _" And I see you released your seals. Two of them if I may add."_

 _"Of course."_

 _"Then I suppose I need to release mine too."_

Ruby eyes widened. Their gaze zeroing on his own demon as the energies around burst. Increasing in amount and intensity as he could feel a seal being released, breaking the limitations. The fox's tail grew in length, intricate yellow patterns covering it. And not a moment later another one was released and resulted in a second tail appearing. They swayed gracefully as Seijuro saw the once small fox grew larger in size. His demon could easily be mistaken as a wolf in that form.

When did the seals break?

 _"Surely you do not think that I decided to confront you like this without something up my sleeve, right?"_

 _"Heh. The gloves are off Kuroko. Let me see if you're still the same Seirin's shadow demon after all these years."_

And they wasted no time to attack. Energies fluctuating as they traded blows. Movements so fast and powerful that it's almost impossible to follow. Seijuro couldn't help but gape in amazement. The sight presented below him exceeded his expectations, was beyond his wildest dreams and one that he could never imagine. To think that this in the power of Seirin's demons. The demons that have appeared long ago and carved history for themselves. The ones who had battled in the front lines during the demonic war.

Now he understood why everybody had always revered them as legendary. Seijuro always thought they were exaggerating. Him always scoffing at the history books that depicted them of being able to part the sea, puncture the sky, battle against a million enemies and coming out victorious. He always thought that those were just the writer's attempt of entertaining the one who would read the book. Trying to magically change the boring history texts into something like a fantasy tale.

But seeing two of those 'legendary' demons fighting. It made him believe all those stories.

And to think that the fight going on below him was them at only two seals released. He couldn't imagine the amount of power emitted and destruction they could cause with more seals released. Even now, the forest is being destroyed at an alarming pace. The trees and grass that had covered the ground only minutes ago now looking more like a second clearing. Some patches of the ground being frozen, covered with fallen trees and sprinkled with splinters and leaves.

Kuroko's stern warning earlier was clearly understood. He does not want to die so early in his life.

Now, the battle had shifted. The two demons steadily moving away from his location in their attempt to hit each other, elements and fangs clashing. Seijuro could see his demon tiring at a fast rate while Kasamatsu looked as if he could still battle for another hour.

The human knew Kuroko doesn't have a vast amount of stamina but the difference between the fox and the serpent was appalling. It may be because of the earlier attacks he used or maybe something else entirely different. But one thing he knows is that if this keeps up, sooner or later Kasamatsu will overwhelm his demon.

With that in mind, he formed little fires the size of a bullet. Them on standby at approximately two or three meters from his current position. Squinting his eyes, he waited for the right moment. And when the serpent tried to whip Kuroko with his tail, Seijuro send two of his fire bullets at it. They made contact and exploded. Kuroko took this chance to jump back and gain some distance.

 _"A perfect shot, Akashi-kun."_ Kuroko's voice praise him.

Kasamatsu hissed, forked tongue slithering out for a short while. _"To think your wielder could still attack in his condition. I commend that."_

 _"Such a high praise coming from you."_ Now both demons began circling each other. Two pairs of slitted eyes narrowing at each other's forms. Searching for the right moment to strike. _"What made you regard my human so highly?"_

 _"That is because humans these days are all weak. A dislocated bone or a slash wound could easily render them immobilized by the pain. So different from back then when they could still brave the horrors with a missing arm or a stab wound."_

 _"Times have changed, Kasamatsu-san. They had pampered themselves with all the technology they had created. Forgotten what it means to strive for glory with their own efforts. Would use cheap tricks and tactics to achieve their selfish goals. Surely you noticed that much."_

 _"Such a corrupted world we live in."_

Right after that statement, Seijuro launched his fires. The serpent dodged by slithering away. Kuroko decided to follow his wielder's example by launching marble sized shadow balls.

Kasamatsu dodged the best he can. Forming a shield here and there and also retaliating with his own icicle and ice shards. The battle went on like that, changed from close combat into long ranged. Both human and demon attacking the serpent with their own element. Seijuro covering for Kuroko whenever an attack almost hit him. That is until someone grabbed at Seijuro's ankle and yanked. The fire bullets fizzled away.

With a yelp, he fell. Pain bursting as the blisters broke. His eyes had clouded for a while, him enduring the pain.

"You hadn't forgotten about me, right?" And there stood Kise, looking down at him. His forehead smeared with blood. "That was quite a bump I had. It hurt." The blond sneered. "As thanks, I'll gladly return the favor ten folds."

The blonde attacked him with blobs of water. Seijuro rolled out of the way, some of his blood dirtying the grass. The water broke when it crashed to the ground, it splashed and sent tiny, freezing droplets at him. He muffled his scream by biting his tongue. Stopping himself from grabbing at the stinging spot and making things worse. The pain coursed through his being. Almost unbearable.

"Kasamatsucchi must've done a number out of you. Just looking at you like this almost made me feel sorry." Kise's voice was filled with glee. Eyes sparkling with barely contained amusement as he saw his opponent in pain.

A water whip formed, long and thick with tiny pieces of ice shards in them. Kise whipped the red haired human. The weapon leaving a trail of cold steam as the water user purposively aimed for the arms. The whip cracked when it made contact. Eliciting a grunt of pain from Seijuro.

The whip danced again. This time accompanied with ice shards. Seijuro retaliated with his flames. Making them crash into the ices and letting steam reign over them. With their vision now limited, the red-haired wielder randomly launched his element to every which way. They didn't only make contact with the ices and water Kise had begun launch randomly, but also the trees surrounding them. This caused a wildfire and replacing the white steam with black smoke. Further limiting their vision.

The ice Kise had conjured to attack Seijuro melted from the heat, turning to water and evaporated to join the smoke. The blonde coughed, covering his mouth and nose as his lungs were filled with carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. While his eyes struggled with the sting, trying to stay open. One hand outstretched, gathering water particles at a much slower pace because of the overwhelming abundance of fire particles.

Honey orbs darted left and right, trying to spot the other human. Unbeknownst to him, his opponent had retreated a couple of meters from his last position. Now perched on a thick tree branch, overlooking the blonde.

Seijuro squinted. The smoke had almost camouflaged Kise. Only the very slight silhouette of the blond visible from his location. Clicking his tongue, he made sure his spiritual flow was still toned down and once again formed fire bullets from many angles and distance. They obediently floated mid-air, flickering and waving gracefully, waiting for their conjurer to launch them as more formed. When Seijuro deemed it was enough, the surrounding forest was covered with blue flames.

Good thing the smoke was so thick.

Not wasting time, he launched them at Kise. They sailed the air and went through the fires surrounding his opponent. Turning the blazing red flames into blue and amplifying both the small fires and the already burning ones.

The blond yelped, reflexively sidestepping the flames that were now the size of a basketball. Two more came from nowhere, one was dodged, and the other struck his leg. A hiss escaped his lips the same time as more fires attacked him. Unrelenting.

It continued like that. Them just keeping at it. And by now, the fires had spread. Half of the forest was burning, glowed an eerie blue. And Seijuro had to move to safer places faster than he could ever deem possible while maintaining the attacks. His stock of bullet flames had depleted but still enough to actually burn the whole forest. Kise had started running to one location to another, trying to get out of the fires. Trying to sense his opponent that had hidden his spiritual flow and further camouflaging himself with his element.

Seeing the flames now, Seijuro ceased his small fires, letting them vanish, and started commanding the big flames that were licking the area. His outstretched arms waved, swiping at the air as the flames followed his movements. They traveled to the blond to attack him and devoured several trees to make them fall. Sending embers to fly each every way. All done with such ease like a professional.

One particularly thick tree trunk fell on top of Kise, preventing the human from moving. Seijuro heard the scream and crash amongst the crackling of the nature around him. Temporary stopping his attacks, he closed his eyes, concentrating. Kise's spiritual flow had stopped at one place, unlike seconds ago where it kept on darting left and right.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he released his spiritual hold on the flames. His feet carried him towards the fire. A swipe of his hand is enough to make the azure fires part ways for him. Them leading the human to the fallen one, on the ground with burns and soot covering his body.

Seijuro approached. Shoes making soft thumping sounds that alerted the blond of his arrival. A snarl escaped his lips when the red haired human came within his line of sight. Attempting to attack by producing a blob of water that immediately evaporated before it could be launched.

"You're surrounded in my element." Seijuro crouched down so he could at least be at eye level with Kise. "Trying to gather and produce your element here would be near impossible."

Kise gritted his teeth, wanting to escape from the fallen tree. Seijuro clicked his tongue and took out two of his knives. The blade glimmered eerily from the flames. "I suggest you stop before I stab your hands."

The blond didn't listen. Still trying to break free. Ruby eyes narrowed before a knife's blade fell. Planting itself just between his middle and ring finger, slightly grazing the middle finger. "I apologize. My hand slipped. Next time I won't miss."

The blond gritted his teeth before finally conceded. Body going limp as he surrendered to the one in front of him. "Are you sure you're the same Akashi Seijuro who was still a D rank until the week before?"

"That is a question even myself cannot answer."

Not a moment later after that sentence was uttered, the area shifted. Energies gradually dissipating as the phantasma field melted. A bright light shone, blinding them. And when it died out, they were inside the gym. The polished wooden floor, the high ceiling and the spectators replacing the nature around them.

"The match is over. All contestants gather and place your bracelets here." Masako-sensei's voice was heard once again, her standing in between two glass boxes put on a table.

Seijuro stood up, Kise doing the same as both of them took off the accessory. Putting it inside the box. The two demons who had reverted back to their human forms did the same before standing back beside their respective wielders. Breath labored and covered with various injuries.

"We will now calculate the score." The lid was closed, and numbers started appearing on the box. They steadily increased as all eyes were on those two items. Waiting for the results to be revealed, waiting for one of them to stop first.

After a couple of tense seconds, the scores were shown. One of them stopping just after the other.

"With a score of 102 to 98, the winner is Akashi Seijuro!"

The stadium was silent. Breaths hitched. Not a soul dare to break the quietness. That is until Principal Sanada stood up from his seat and clapped his hands. Others followed the man and soon, the stadium burst with cheers.

"We won." Kuroko's soft voice broke through his stupor, being heard above the cheers. Cerulean eyes shining with mirth at the human who still had his eyes on the score.

Ruby eyes blinked before a smile graced his features. "Yes, we won."

Kuroko then held out his fist. Seijuro was confused, staring at it, not understanding. But then he saw his demon's hand move to grab his wrist, balling up his fist and bumping it together gently.

* * *

"Hey. Mind if I borrow your time?"

Kuroko stopped in his tracks. Glancing to the side rewarded him with the sight of Kasamatsu leaning on the wall, arms crossed. Injuries nowhere to be seen.

"I don't mind." Because Seijuro was still being treated. He didn't have anything to do until then.

With a nod, the water demon peeled himself from the wall. Gesturing with his hand, he walked towards a nearby park. Kuroko following silently behind. Their respective footwear creating a rhyming thump on the gray concrete. Once there, both sat on an empty bench. Side by side as their eyes gazed at the sun casting its last rays for today.

None of them spoke. Letting the wind pass by them to ruffle their hair and the occasional sounds of vehicles as compensation for the lack of conversation. Kasamatsu glance at the other demon beside him. The teal head sat up straight, posture relaxed as his cerulean eyes stared at a mother and her daughter walking while holding hands. Small giggles would escape the girl's lips as she hugged her doll.

"Where have you been?" Kasamatsu finally opened the conversation. Having enough of the silence.

Kuroko didn't immediately answer. But when he did decide to open his mouth, a sigh was what escaped. "In this human world."

"You know that is not what I meant." The tone of voice was stern. Brows furrowed in irritation. "We searched everywhere for you. But every time one of us felt your energy or found a lead, you would always disappear. You'll conceal your energy and hide from us."

Kuroko opted to stay mute.

"Do you not know how worried we were?" Kasamatsu's voice grew smaller, hands balled into fists. "And I thought we vowed to keep in touch with each other. Especially after what happened during the war. The only thing keeping us from believing you have died are the silver accessories. Seeing as your hoop did not disappear. You gave us quite the scare."

"I'm sorry." And that's the only thing Kuroko could utter.

"You should be. And I expect you to apologize to the others as well!" Kasamatsu yelled at him. Wrapping his arm around Kuroko's neck and grind his fist to the shadow demon's scalp.

"Wha- wait! Kasamatsu-sa- OW!" The pleas fell on deaf ears. Kasamatsu wasn't having any of it as he playfully punishes the smaller demon. A large smile plastered on his face when he saw the supposed missing demon safe and sound.

"Well, at the very least you know your mistake." Kasamatsu finally released Kuroko. The latter rubbing at the sore spot, a small frown etched on his features. "Do not worry. I will not tell the others."

"I appreciate that. Thank you."

"So," Kasamatsu nudged the one beside him. "Congratulations on your victory. Seems that you are still as ruthless as ever."

"I can say the same thing about you." Kuroko replied back without missing a beat.

A chuckle. "Putting that aside. How long have you been contracted?"

"Only about a week and five days?"

The water demon eyes widened. "What? Surely you jest." That sentence earned himself a blank face from Kuroko. "It's not?" A sigh. "Why do you always get contracted with the unusual ones?"

"How about you, though? Your human seems to be strong." Kuroko asked back. Wanting to know more.

"That whiny human?" A scoff "Only for around a month."

Cerulean eyes blinked. "That is certainly not funny, Kasamatsu-san."

"What? I speak of the truth! And do you think you have the right to say that?"

And both of them shared a laugh. So carefree and full of happiness as they banter with each other. Throwing snide comments and basically joking around with each other. Just like old times.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop." Kasamatsu suddenly said. Purposively saying that out loud.

"I thought you were better than this." Now it was Kuroko who said that.

The bushes rustled and out came Kise and Seijuro. Both approached the demons. Kise with a sheepish expression while Seijuro with a slight frown. "What's with the formal speech?" The blond one asked.

"Habits. They die hard." Kasamatsu answered for the both of them. His form of speech changing into a more informal one.

"Care to introduce your yellow human?" Kuroko said that as he eyed Kise. The blond cried out "I'm not a yellow human!" The complaint was ignored by everyone.

"Well, you heard him." Kasamatsu said.

"Kise Ryouta! It's nice to meet you, ssu!" The human said as he cheerfully introduced himself. Too cheerful for someone who had just lost a match.

Kasamatsu nudged Kuroko again as he eyed Seijuro. "Mine's done. Now it's your red human's turn."

Seijuro's eye twitched as a vein popped on his neck. But nevertheless, a smile still graced his features. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Akashi Seijuro. Kuroko Tetsuya's wielder." The introduction was executed flawlessly. Complete with an elegant bow.

"See that? That's how it's done." The water demon told his wielder as his finger pointed at Seijuro. Kise whined.

"Kasamatsu." The owner of the name glanced at Seijuro in the midst of the blond's string of complaints.

"No honorifics?" The water demon raised a brow. "Humans these days. They've become ruder in the recent years."

"To be bothered with such trivial things. You're like an old man."

"You have a death wish for calling me that, Kuroko."

"Kasamatsucchi. Just let it slide."

"Fine. What is it that you would like to ask of me?"

The red haired human looked troubled, not sure if he should say what's on his mind. "Forgive me if I sound rude, but humans aren't supposed to talk with demons out in the open. They'll think you're crazy."

"What do you mean? We can make them visible, you know!" Kise exclaimed.

"For the love of the kings. Kuroko, don't tell me you didn't tell him." Kasamatsu was horrified.

"He didn't ask." Kuroko said monotonously. That earned a bonk to the head, courtesy on Kasamatsu.

"And you should've just told him! No need to wait until he asked you!" Kise had to restrain the demon from pummeling Kuroko. "No wonder everyone stared at me like I'm some sort of mentally sick person!"

"Kasamatsucchi. Calm down ssu." Kise gripped the demon's shoulders tighter, slightly pulling him back.

"No! I'll need to teach him a lesson! I'll drill his head with an icicle if that's the last thing I'll do!" Kasamatsu struggled, hands flailing in attempts to strangle Kuroko.

"I'm afraid I have to prohibit you from doing that. I can't have him being reduced from an idiot into a retard."

"You're not helping, Akashi-kun."

"Am I?"

In the end, Kasamatsu calmed himself. Although the scowl was still there while Kuroko opted to stand behind Seijuro. Using his wielder as a shield.

"So there's a way to make demons visible to nonpotential wielders?" Seijuro asked Kise. Kasamatsu is currently unavailable as he was busy glaring daggers at the teal-haired demon behind him. Kuroko stared back. Although he didn't dare move even an inch from his spot.

"Yup. Just need to cover your demon's demonic core with your own spiritual energy. That'll make him visible to everyone." Kise explained. "You should try it. It's not that hard ssu."

"I see. But I thought the legends said demons can't be seen by humans." Seijuro pointed out. "How is this possible?"

"Don't just take those legends to face value," Kasamatsu replied for him. "Those stories are full of loopholes anyway. And humans had gone more intelligent in the past few decades. They always find a way."

"What? Kasamatsucchi praising humans? The world's going to end!" The blond exclaimed overdramatically.

"Shut up Kise! That's it! We're going home." And the demon stomped away. Leaving behind all three of them.

"Wha- Hey! Wait for me! You're so cruel Kasamatsucchi!" Kise ran after his demon. He turned around to wave. "Bye Seijurocchi, Kurokocchi! See you on Monday! And the next time we have a match I won't lose!" And he ran faster, trying to catch up with his demon.

"Seijurocchi? Kurokocchi?"

"Ah, that. Kise has this habit of adding 'cchi' to the names of people he respects or recognizes." Seijuro adjusted his school bag from falling off. "You should be honored."

"Remind me to make him stop. My name sounds strange with the added cchi at the back."

"Never mind that. We should also be on our way. I'm already late for work as it is."

* * *

The moon had arrived, showing off its beauty in the night sky. Its rays shone bright, illuminating the dark along with twinkling stars. A beautiful night like this is a waste to be spent cooped up inside. But even with this knowledge, Seijuro just didn't have the will to move. Body spread on his bed as fatigue finally made itself known.

A sigh. Ruby eyes caught sight of his desk before his arm covered them. Not letting his vision be filled by the papers and books strewn there. He rolled to his side. He had done his homework, cleaning his desk could wait. The small voice at the back of his head that was bugging him to do so was drowned out. His bed right now just felt like heaven.

Slowly he let his eyes droop. Eyelids felt heavy as he could feel his consciousness fading away. Vision grew more hazy with dark edges. Sleep started taking control, the darkness welcoming him. And in a matter of seconds, he was about to travel to dreamland if not for the link.

" _Akashi-kun. Are you still awake?"_ The demon asked his wielder.

" _Barely. What's the matter?"_ His voice slurred.

" _Can you come to the kitchen? I need some help."_

" _Okay."_ And with much difficulty, he sat up straight and let his feet feel for his slippers. Heading to the kitchen while occasionally rubbing his eyes.

"Kuroko? What's wrong?" Seijuro found his demon standing beside the dining table. "Did you have trouble finding the pan again? Should I teach you how to start the stove again? Did the blender scare you again?"

Sleepiness made him ramble.

"No such thing." The demon gently lead him to sit on a chair where a bowl and a spoon sat along with a tablecloth in front of it. "I didn't know you view me in such low regards regarding the kitchen."

"I can't help it." A yawn. "You can't open a rice cooker and thought the button for opening it would make the machine explode if pressed. You thought the refrigerator is a coffin and claimed that the undead would come out from it. You almost got yourself baked by the oven by trying to enter inside thinking that it's a mini sauna room. You panicked when you saw suds covering my hands when I wash the dishes. Then there's this one time when-"

"Please stop. I don't need a reminder." Kuroko cut him off mid sentence. Placing a small pot on the cloth. He opened the lid and steam came floating out, bringing with them a pleasant smell.

Seijuro who had his eyes closed and head propped up by his palm perked up. One eye cracked open as he sat up straighter. His gaze was met with the sight of a steaming pot of tofu soup. "You made this?" There was disbelief in his voice.

"Yes. Someone taught me a long time ago."

"But why?" The human asked. Kuroko never cooked before. It was usually him. Well, the cause of that is because he prohibited him from going near the kitchen but that's beside the point. Kuroko never attempted to cook, even when he had let the demon roam around during the night.

"I thought we could celebrate your victory earlier," Kuroko said that as if it was obvious. In which it is. "And you haven't had anything to eat since this morning. It's not healthy."

His lips curved upwards. Staring at the food in front of him before he stood up. The chair scraping at the floor and made a rather loud noise. But Seijuro ignored it as he walked towards the cabinet and took out another bowl and spoon. Placing them on the table before taking out two empty glass along with a jug of water.

Next, he grabbed Kuroko's shoulder from behind, guiding him to a chair across from the one he had just occupied. He slightly pressed down on those shoulders, making the demon sit while he returned to his seat.

"Akashi-kun?" The demon was confused. His head slightly tilted to the side.

"You eat too." Was what the human said.

"But I made it for you." As if that's enough of a reason for him to refuse.

"This dish is for celebrating 'our' victory." The our was emphasized. "And you also haven't eaten anything since breakfast too."

A shook of the head. "Demons can survive with or without food. Such things aren't necessary for us."

"Don't be stubborn." He grabbed Kuroko's bowl and scooped a generous amount into it. "Today's victory won't be achieved without you. And I couldn't finish all this by myself."

"…Okay." The demon finally conceded. Taking the now filled bowl from his wielder.

The human nodded before scooping the dish into his own bowl. "Ittadakimasu." Both of them said simultaneously. Grabbing the spoon and eating the food.

The sounds of spoons hitting the bowl were the only sounds that filled the kitchen right after that. No one bothered to speak, enjoying the dish, enjoying the presence of each other.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko broke the tranquil silence by calling his wielder who's in the middle of chewing his food. The one spoken to lifted his head so his eyes could make eye contact. "About the match earlier. I noticed something about you."

Ruby eyes blinked. "Is there something wrong with how I fight?"

"No. It's more like you need some polishing."

"Polishing?"

"Yes. There are many wasted moves. For example. In the beginning, when you tried to dodge Kise-kun's sword. You didn't have to jump so far back. A simple sidestep or a block with your weapon could easily give you the advantage." Kuroko took a sip of his water before continuing. "Kise-kun knew you lacked the experience and used that to his advantage. He forced you to jump back and created a patch of ice by predicting how far from him you'll jump back."

"I see."

"In battle, each person has their own fighting styles. Don't just immediately attack. Read their moves, study their habits, find their weakness. Meet their standards the best you can and try to keep up."

Kuroko's mini-lecture made him realize just how much he needs to learn.

"Although. It's pretty smart of you to use your surroundings and turn the tables around like that. The forest fire you caused had spread even to where Kasamatsu-san and I were battling. It made him harder to use his element."

"Oh that. I just thought…"

And they conversed away. The time was forgotten, and sleepiness had vanished. Seijuro couldn't help the warm feeling inside him. It's been a long time since someone made him anything. Had forgotten the last time someone would just sit and eat together with him like this, with a conversation that doesn't look like it would end anytime soon. To think that a demon would go to such lengths for him when his own family wouldn't spare a second for him. It still felt like a dream.

He gazed at the moon from the window behind his demon, where it kept watch on them. Nights such as this always made him feel strangely melancholic. Made all the sweet memories from his early childhood resurface. Filling his mind with this old feeling of happiness that he had always thought would never appear again

But with the shadow demon stumbling to his life. Maybe, just maybe, everything will turn out for the better.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. So about this chapter. It was so hard to type because of the fighting scene. It took me two months just to finish that (one month of research and another month typing it up, scraping most of it, retyping again, rinse and repeat.) That's why chapter 5 is a bit lacking since I typed it while beating my own brain for ideas on this one. I know I shouldn't do that, but I just can't help it.

I apologize if any of you guys found the battle scene unsatisfying. I'm just so incompetent. Because stories, especially with fighting scenes, is more of showing, not telling. And because of that, I had to change some scene and words in hopes that you guys could imagine the scenes, feel the tension and experience this fic as if you were the ones battling. I also had to use to use google translate, dictionary dot com, and synonyms dot com for more word options. It was hectic, I admit, but in the end, this is just another experience for me. And constructive criticisms are welcomed.

Anyway, enough of that. Finally, Kise and Kasamatsu appeared! I had so much fun typing them bickering with each other. Hopefully, they're in character. And the modern world oblivious Kuroko strikes again (even though only through Seijuro's explanation.) Although Kuroko cut Seijuro off before he could explain the last one. How about you guys tell me what you think was the last one? I'd like to know your thoughts!

I'm done rambling. Time for the reviews!

~Vinoliepie: Thanks!

~Tsukiko K: That, my dear reader, will be explained in the later chapters.

~Rinfantasy: The omake was actually my own experience with doing the laundry (That was exaggerated of course.) Yeah, the administration is a bit corrupted. But the stakes are high because the reward is too. Although it looked more like a do or die offer. And I agree with you saying the limit should be A rank but I need something to go on so I can introduce Kise and Kasamatsu here so it can't be helped. In the end, I made it so that they can only use their primary element, have any damage done to them reduced and revealed that Kuroko is a member of Seirin (Which I had planned even before I started typing chapter one.) Hope that makes the match a bit fairer in your eyes. And the one Kise will get clingy to is... still a dilemma for me. Damn it, I'm having a hard time deciding.

~Rei: Thank you! I just thought that a story should have as much of humor mixed in it as action. Just to have a balance of seriousness and joking around.

~Hyuann: Thanks! Yeah, I made Seijuro OOC, but he needs to be like that for the sake of character development. Oh my... did I just made Seijuro your ideal type? *nudge, nudge* Sure you can have him for one night. Although I don't know what'll happen to you when Kuroko finds out. Be prepared.

~Kairo Lupin: Thank you! And yup, the fight is against Kise which was already revealed in the last chapter. But he uses the water element in my fic. Your prediction isn't quite accurate... But still, it's not that far from the mark. The reason will be explained in the later chapters! Badass moment? Huh. I'll be sure to add one in a chapter.

~Zleihsh: Thank you! I'll be sure to keep up the omakes.

~DJ Candy: It's okay, we all have a lot of work to do irl. Yeah, it's a bit strange how Seijuro could just skip the basics like that, but as always there's a reason. One that'll be explained in the later chapters. I was a bit worried the training session scene was bad, but I'm glad you liked it. And he would learn more things in the future.

Did I make it that obvious? But yeah, the offer did look rigged, but I compensate it with the match rules of them only being able to use primary elements along with having any damage caused to them reduced and revealing that Seijuro had a strong demon all this time. I typed what Kise could do, hope you'll get a picture of how strong Kise is. Will Kise get infatuated (?) with Kuroko like in canon? That's still a dilemma for me since he also grew to respect Seijuro too. The omake? Hehe. I did make Kuroko prideful and at the same time silly. The same could be said to Seijuro. But my omakes are for comedic purposes, just a little extra something to fill in the blanks. The omake was actually my own experience with doing the chore (Which I exaggerated of course.)

That's just how the world is... *sigh*. I don't know about them losing their money, though. I haven't planned that far. But with or without his family's wealth, it won't affect Seijuro's life. And I didn't say anything about the Akashi patriarch having a demon or not. You assumed that yourself! XD

Take care of your ring finger. You'll need that one in the future. But seriously, after the accident, it never felt the same. It feels a bit heavier and whenever I move it, it just feels strange. I can't describe the feeling because even I'm not sure what it felt like. It doesn't hurt but... goodness, my explanation is so bad... And your school life had its own violent moments. Mine too, but it's more like stories from my upperclassmen. They happened but not with my friends, and it occurred in a different section of the school. Then the story would spread. And trust me, you don't want to know. I guess there are a lot of dodgeball rules. I don't know, though. Never played the sports/game.

He really called him Reo-nee? Which episode? I forgot or missed the scene where he called him that, my memory's a bit blurry. Can't help sniggering at you outright calling him gay but I get it. I also thought he's gay too. But I found him cute at how delicate he is. About Oreshi and Bokushi. My God. Did you read my mind? You basically pulled my views on them right out of my brain (since I had trouble explaining them in English.) You're amazing!

US and UK English is a nightmare. Why are they just so similar to each other but different too? I learned English through watching cartoons and reading books. With me being so young at that time, I can't differentiate which one is US and which one is UK. So at school, my teacher usually corrected my spelling with a red pen. I remember her circling the word color and changing it to colour. She said I wrote it wrong, but I didn't listen and kept on using color. But you know teachers, they always think they're right and forced me to add the U. I finally conceded but with a heavy heart. Same thing with gray and grey, harbor and harbour, and much more I can't possibly list here. Eventually, I grew tired of arguing with her and just do what she said. Even now, the words in my screen have many red underlines.

And about the reviews. It's your choice if you want to cut them down or not. I won't force you. Just do what makes you more comfortable. I personally love to read reviews be it long or short, Jumbled or organized.

Now that I'm done with the reviews. I did mention frostbites in this chapter. For those who would like a clearer picture of the injury, I added a bit of an explanation down here!

 _Frostbite can cause feelings of cold and firmness in the affected area, such as the fingers or toes. Stinging, burning and numbness can also occur. You may experience pain, throbbing, burning or an electric current-like sensation when the affected area is re-warmed._

 _In first-degree frostbite, the affected area of skin usually becomes white and feels numb. Sometimes the skin is red. It may also feel hard or stiff. If it is treated quickly, the skin usually recovers fully._

 _In second-degree frostbite, the affected skin is often red, or may become blue. It feels frozen and hard. There is also usually quite a lot of swelling of the affected area. Blisters filled with a clear or milky fluid appear on the skin._

 _In third-degree frostbite, skin can be white or blue or blotchy. Blisters also develop and can be filled with blood. Over some weeks, black thick scabs form. The skin feels hard and cold._

 _In fourth-degree frostbite, there is damage to the full thickness of the skin and also the underlying tissues such as muscle, tendons and bone. The skin is initially deep red and mottled and then becomes black._ (Source: patient . info / health / frostbite-leaflet *remove the spaces in between*)

And this one

 _Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone else points it out._

 _Frostbite occurs in several stages:_

 _Frostnip. The first stage of frostbite is frostnip. With this mild form of frostbite, your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin._

 _Superficial frostbite. The second stage of frostbite appears as reddened skin that turns white or pale. The skin may remain soft, but some ice crystals may form in the tissue. Your skin may begin to feel warm — a sign of serious skin involvement. If you treat frostbite with rewarming at this stage, the surface of your skin may appear mottled, blue or purple. And you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. A fluid-filled blister may appear 24 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin._

 _Severe (deep) frostbite. As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including the tissues that lie below. You may experience numbness, losing all sensation of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected area. Joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters form 24 to 48 hours after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies._ ( www . mayoclinic diseases-conditions / frostbite / basics / symptoms / con-20034608 *remove the spaces in between*)

I guess that's it. You know, I didn't expect you guys to like the Kuroko Oji-san joke. It made me reluctant to post this chapter's omake. But oh well, I'm fresh out of ideas anyway.

Thanks again for reading this fic, reviewing and clicking on the like and/or favorite button. I apologize for any grammatical errors and/or misspelling that you may find in this fic. Have a great day!

* * *

Omake - Bed Time

With the small impromptu dinner done, the night found Kuroko and Seijuro preparing for bed. Now all of you might think they would just simply say goodnight to each other and sleep. But we're talking about Kuroko and Seijuro here. Nothing's simple when it concerns them.

"I said it's okay." Seijuro said irritated. Eyes narrowing at the demon.

 _"It would be impolite of me to do so."_ Kuroko replied with a shook of the head.

"I insist. What makes you refuse? The floor can't possibly be comfortable."

 _"I have slept on many terrains. Sleeping on the floor is like laying on a cloud compared to those places."_

"You'll catch a cold if you sleep there."

 _"No such thing. Demons have a stronger body than those of humans. We won't get sick that easily. I thought I already told you that."_ Kuroko stated the fact _. "And what makes you suddenly felt the need to worry about me when you'd usually let me be."_

"That is because I didn't know you slept on the floor all this time. Have I known about this, we would have this argument at a much earlier date."

Silence. Both not speaking. Eyes clashing with the other's.

 _"I still refuse."_

That's it. That's the last straw. Seijuro has enough of his demon's stubbornness. If Kuroko could do that, then two can play that game.

The human stood up and made his way towards the demon, who was sitting below the window. With a glare that would make even the bravest man cower in fear, Seijuro picked up the fox and carried him to the bed. Dropping him ungracefully to the soft covers where Kuroko let out an involuntary surprised yip before Seijuro climbed on bed himself.

 _"You're so stubborn"_ The demon said with his trademark monotone voice.

"I could say the same about you." Seijuro pulled the comforter until it covered his chest. "Just go to sleep. And don't try to move back to the floor in the middle of the night."

 _"Yes, Okaa-san."_

"Heaven forbid. I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than having a child like you."

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Saturday at the Café

The advent of the morning was heralded by beautiful songs of the birds. Them chirping, celebrating the sun's success in breaking the moon's spell with its rays, brightening the sky. Morning dew covered the surroundings, bringing with them another new day and another new start as the day sleepily progressed. Some people could be seen already up and doing their activities for the day. While some still buried under the covers of their bed, having not left dreamland.

This did not exclude Seijuro. The red haired teen still had his eyes closed, head on top of a pillow as he lay blissfully unaware of the arrival of the morning. A grumble slipped from his lips, hand clutching the comforter as he rolled to the side unconsciously in search for a more comfortable position. Which turned out to be a wrong move because as soon as he did that the sun's rays unforgivingly kissed his face from the little crack in his curtains.

A scrunch of the face. He turned to the other side in hopes of falling back to sleep, but the damage had been done. There is no more hope of him sleeping again that morning when he had already awakened. And the sun's rays felt as if poking him, wanting him to get up. This prompted a bleary eye to peek open, glancing at the alarm clock perched on the bedside table. The needle hands told him it was six thirty-five. Obviously too early for a day without school.

But it can't be helped. With a yawn, he sat up as a hand rubbed at his eyes, trying to chase away the sleep. He was about to climb down from his bed, but the slight rustling of the comforter stopped him from doing so. Twin ruby eyes narrowed as they saw a lump moving. Curious, a hand then carefully approached, hovered, and gripped the soft material.

He pulled, slow and deliberate. Exposing the lump that turned out to be black and furry. Looking like a fluffy, gigantic, furball. Seijuro furrowed his brows. What is this? He didn't remember having something like this. Something so obviously of foreign use to him. He was about to grab and inspect it when all of a sudden, a pair of cerulean orbs opened.

A yelp, a crash, and Seijuro was on the floor, having landed on his bum. The black furball rose and jumped down from the bed. It approached, but Seijuro quickly backed away. Trying to keep some distance from the unidentified black fur thing. A hand blindly groped the floor until it touched a slipper. His impromptu, miserable, ineffective weapon that he held in front of him like a knight would with their sword for defeating the creature should it attack.

Fighting an unknown creature first thing in the morning. What a way to start the day. That is until the link was infiltrated.

 _"G'mornin, Akashi-kun."_ A familiar voice greeted him telepathically. Sounding slurred and slightly garbled.

"Wha- Is that you Kuroko?" The 'weapon' was lowered until it fell from his grip. Taut muscles uncoiled.

The human didn't get an answer, but the yawn that escaped the black furball was all the answer he needed. The mouth exposing rows of sharp fangs as a tongue rolled out before it clamped shut. Now knowing the identity of the mysterious furball, Seijuro couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his throat. He stood and picked up the demon. Sitting at the end of his bed as he placed Kuroko the furball on his lap.

"Kuroko. What happened? You've turned into a fluff ball." Seijuro teased the demon. Poking at what he assumed was a cheek. The fox flicked his head away.

 _"I don't know. It's always like this when I wake up."_ The Fox slumped, ears drooped, eyes closed with brows furrowed. _"You woke me up. I thought you don't have school today."_

"Yes, you're right. I woke up too early." Seijuro ran a hand on the demon's back trying to tame the atrocious, gravity defying ebony furs. Which proofed to be easier said than done.

 _"And you tried to attack me with a slipper. What a curious way greet your demon first thing in the morning."_ A paw rose as if to rub an eye. A feat that seemed to be almost impossible. _"Is that a new tradition for humans these days?"_ Sarcasm dripped from the soft voice. Pretty impressive for someone who still hadn't escaped sleep's clutches entirely.

"It's not entirely my fault. You didn't tell me anything about you turning into a fluffball in the mornings." A hum. Kuroko still sleepy to retort as just sitting up straight looked more like a tedious thing to do than something that can be done as natural as breathing.

Seeing this, Seijuro placed him back on top of the comforters, patting the head. The Fox rolled a bit before settling with a purr, enjoying the comfort of the bed as his breathing stabilized. _'And he was refusing my offer just the night before.'_ Seijuro mentally scoffed, letting the demon sleep for a while longer as he got ready for the day.

* * *

"Stop pulling at your clothes."

"But they feel strange."

The day was now in full bloom. Streets that was empty just a few hours ago now looked more like a sea of flesh and noise. Stores and restaurants had opened up for business. Them selling a variety of products from cute little dolls, traditional snacks, ornate looking vases, until just outright strange items and food that not even an appraiser or chef had ever seen. All in all, it was noisy, lively and most definitely crowded.

This made Seijuro, who was one of the many people present at that street, gripped the teal head's wrist tighter as he scolds his demon. His voice slipped pass the other chatters around them and entered Kuroko's sharp hearing. The demon, although hearing the words coming out of Seijuro's mouth kept on pulling down his sleeves in hopes of the clothing would lengthen and cover his hands as his kimono and haori would.

"People are staring." And true to his words, his eyes caught sight of a group of teenagers whispering and pointing at them. He walked faster, pulling the demon and prompting him to match his strides.

Not a word from Kuroko. Seijuro let out an audible sigh. Why must the demon be so difficult? Can he not tell that the clothes he previously wore would only serve to attract more attention than the now modern clothes he now wears? And it was only a simple polo shirt accompanied by a pair of brown slacks and a pair of sports shoes. A typical casual style of clothing, one that he had meticulously chosen so as not to make the demon stand out.

But the clothes he lent the demon was apparently not enough. Kuroko kept on pulling at his sleeves, complaining that it was too short for his liking. Not bothering to at least be a bit more discreet if he were to do such a thing. Well, at the very least it was comfortable. Seijuro couldn't imagine himself enduring the embarrassment if Kuroko were to wear a tuxedo since those formal clothes were much more uncomfortable and stiff than any other garments.

The pair were saved from any more stares and whispers when the café came into view. The quaint two-story building still has its closed sign stuck on the door, but Seijuro was sure that sign will soon change into open. It was evident when his ruby eyes saw the workers there starting to set up the table.

He wasn't late that's for sure. And it was like some sort of unexpected miracle that actually happened. Not after the earlier argument he had with Kuroko in his attempts to persuade the demon to wash the clothes he was wearing and change into the ones he had taken out from his closet. Really, Kuroko's clothes –the haori, kimono and hakama- were filthy and that's putting it lightly. How he could stand all that filth was beyond him. But one thing he knows is that he'll be scrubbing those clothes until it's spotless.

And he'll make sure Kuroko _will_ help him. No more shenanigans like last time.

The metal door at the side of the building creaked open. Both human and demon went inside the locker-lined room. The death grip released as Seijuro yanked his locker open, starting to change his clothes. While Kuroko stood a couple of steps behind him awkwardly, still adamant in making the sleeves longer. A gesture that's starting to get irritating but one the human chose to ignore rather than wasting his breath.

Done with donning the uniform, Seijuro walked further inside, entering the café along with Kuroko who obediently followed him like a duckling would to its mother.

"Good morning." A greeting filled the still empty café. Others who were in the middle of preparing for the day stopped to greet back. Waving with an old rag or just plain nodding politely before continuing with their cleaning activity. "You should take a seat. We're going to be here all day after all." He said that to his demon who immediately slipped past him and sat down at a table beside the window. A frown still etched on those delicate features, still disappointed at the short sleeved shirt.

A small shook of the head. It was surprising how Kuroko, usually calm and collected could act so childish. A great contrast to his age, which Seijuro was sure would be at least a couple centuries old. No matter, he still has a job to do, and that is to help out in the kitchen.

* * *

The café is now officially open for the day. Customers started trickling in little by little, slowly occupying the chairs there and filling the once quiet atmosphere with chatters that only grew louder by each second. The waiters there had scurried to and fro, serving dishes, and taking orders from the customers.

Not that Kuroko cared. He sat at the lone table in the corner of the café. Cerulean eyes gazed at the views through the glass window. Bored as he sat with his back slightly slumped and head propped up by a palm. A bright and beautiful day like this and he's stuck sitting here, no activity and no means to kill some time. It was torture in its finest form.

He could blame it all to his wielder. Usually, when Seijuro was working, he'd find himself sitting atop the tree that grew in front of the café. Enjoying the breeze as he observed the humans, accompanied by the leaves that provide a decent shade and the tree trunk perfect to lean back be it in his human form or fox form. Although he preferred the latter form since it is easier and more comfortable that way, not wasting much energy to maintain and far more convenient. And the way it made him agiler was a plus.

But now, he's stuck in his human form. So much more vulnerable and of high maintenance. Although he had to admit that in this form it's much more easy to use spells and artes which are far stronger than the simple element manipulation he often uses. But he doubted he would need that now seeing as he hadn't sensed a demon ever since he sat here.

"Why the long face?" The demon snapped out of his inner ramblings, lazily glanced to where the voice was coming from before returning his gaze back to the outside view. Busying himself with counting how many people wearing green clothing had passed the building he was in.

"Are you still mad with the shirt?" Kuroko mentally scoffed. _'More like still angry at you.'_ Was what he was about to blurt out but he chose to stay quiet, ignoring his wielder.

"I'm sorry that I made you stay here. I know you'd prefer to roam around, but I need to test something. To do that I need you here." The demon still ignored him. Not a sound to be uttered from those thin lips. "But I'm not sorry for the clothes, more like you should be grateful I didn't let you wear them. They were filthy, especially from the match yesterday."

A vein popped on Kuroko's cheek and his other hand that was not occupied balled into a fist. But aside from that Seijuro didn't get any response from his demon.

"I'll make it up for you. Here." A slight thump on the table before another one followed suit. The teal head tilted his head; a habit Seijuro had come to learn the demon would usually do unconsciously when confused. And it seems like his confusion grew into curiosity as finally, the demon spoke.

"What is this?" A pair of wide eyes scanned the food Seijuro had placed on the table. A sweating glass of something white and an unknown pastry. Both looked foreign to him.

"A vanilla milkshake and a slice of green tea opera cake." The demon looked skeptic. Although not an unexpected reaction from Kuroko since he was like that too during the dinner he had with his family. "I can assure you they're pleasing to the taste buds and not poisonous."

A moment of silence with a pair of cerulean eyes scanning the food presented to him. "How much?" That's not the response Seijuro expected.

"Pardon?"

"How much do they cost? I'll pay."

"No need. These are on me."

"No. I'll pay." Ah, there it is. The stubborn persona that Kuroko always show whenever something doesn't go his way. Those stern eyes, slightly furrowed brows and lips set into a thin line were proof.

If Kuroko's like this, his efforts to reason with him would fall on deaf ears. Then the only thing to do is humor him for a while. Let's see if he could pay. "Well, if you insist on paying. The vanilla milkshake is three hundred yen and the green tea opera cake four hundred and fifty yen. So the total is seven hundred and fifty yen."

And he couldn't help but internally laugh out loud at the halted movements of Kuroko's hand where it was rummaging the borrowed messenger bag moments before. The demon was clearly caught off guard. The name of the currency probably did that. He could almost see Kuroko's brain gears struggling to find a solution to the mess he had gotten himself into. Trying to come up with something, anything.

"Well?" The demon flinched like a child caught red-handed with a hand inside the cookie jar. Seijuro's starting to enjoy this. "Can you not pay?"

The teasing only served to further darken the blush that had made itself known on Kuroko's cheeks. And by now it began to spread to the ears. It was amusing to watch, it really is. The demon so full of wit had frozen on the spot, eyes darting left and right and hands twitching. But as much as he enjoyed seeing the teal head squirm, he's not that kind of person. So with a smile, he patted the demon's shoulder.

"The currency in this country is yen. Whatever money you have doesn't have as much value as it was before. As I said, you don't need to pay. Think of this as a thank you gift for the dinner and victory yesterday. Even if not much."

And it's true. He knew a simple drink and a slice of cake won't cut it. But he intends to repay the demon for the kindness he had shown him.

"Fine. But I'll pay back you some other time." That was a surprisingly quick response. For the demon to concede so quickly, it's a first.

"But you can pay me now with something else if you want." That piqued Kuroko's interest. Evident from the immediate response.

"With?"

"With answers. Tell me about Seirin."

A sigh. Seijuro sure does not waste any time. But Kuroko was already expecting this question to come ever since the 'shocking' revelation about him yesterday. "Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question. Just like how a demon's tribe is to humans, matters concerning Seirin is strictly confidential to its members. I cannot tell you about Seirin without the others' consent and presence."

A frown. "Fine." He relented. If Kuroko put it that way, he had no choice but to meet all the other members and ask their permission. Not an easy task seeing as no historical records listed their member's names and he doubted Kuroko would just tell him the members' name. But he's sure he'll meet all of them someday, besides Kasamatsu-san and Kuroko.

Now, he'll move on to another question. "Then can you tell me your age?" There's no hidden reason or purpose for this question. He's just plain curious.

"That's classified information." Well, even without Kuroko answering, he already knew the demon is old. Really old. Ancient even.

"Alright. Enjoy the treat." No use in prying. It's not polite, and also deep down, Seijuro knew he wasn't going to get any information he wanted. So he turned his back to Kuroko, wanting to head to the kitchen, but stopped only after two steps. "I almost forgot. In the bag, there's a book you can read. A lovely novel that I thought would suit your tastes."

A nod and Seijuro continued his walk towards the kitchen. Kuroko's eyes followed the human's back until it disappeared behind the double doors. With the wielder busy, the demon rummaged the bag once again and pulled out the book. Its cover was white, half of a woman's face was shown with a single wide eye and a knife's tip almost stabbing it. On the sharp weapon's surface, the title proudly showed itself 'Out' by Natsuo Kirino. An interesting cover and when he flipped it to read the synopsis on the back…

Oh, this suited his tastes just fine. Seijuro knows him well.

* * *

Today was just one disaster after another.

One might think that that sort of thing can't happen. Bad luck won't just stack like paper and fall right on top of someone's day. But today's happenings proofed the previous two sentences wrong. And it was still morning. What does the rest of the day have for him in store?

He hoped it wouldn't be more disasters. He had enough of them to last for a month. Because not only did the agency decided to redo the photo shoot he had worked so hard for a whole week -the cause was a malware- but also his homeroom teacher called him to have a 'talk.' And when a teacher suddenly called you to school on a Saturday to talk, it was never a good thing. They would either be discussing about one's behavior or one's grades. Nothing else.

And for Kise Ryouta, it was the latter.

Why must lady fortune abandon him so? Had the world up and turned its back on him? It was a dramatic form of expression but nevertheless suited the mood and situation of the blond perfectly. And to think that just yesterday, he lost a match. His already somber mood turned darker with each recount from his memories. It's as if a dark cloud hung over him, not giving a chance for a rainbow to clear it. If any more bad luck befell him today, he might as well just crumple on the concrete.

"Fix your body posture. Don't slouch or you'll have a hunched back and other compilations later on." The water demon chided his wielder, who fixed his posture without a word. "Cheer up will you? It's annoying."

"How am I supposed to cheer up when my Saturday is a mess?" There isn't the tiniest bit of cheerfulness in the blond's words. Not even a little bit of a high note. It was plain, flat, almost toneless, and drenched with sadness all over. As if he had no will to live.

And as much as he wanted to deny it, Kasamatsu understands. Because the demon was there, watched Kise worked in that studio. Packed with various equipment and just as many people. Face applied by tons of makeup and forced to smile to the camera. It was exhausting, he knew, even himself who just stood by the sidelines could feel the suffocating air and would sometimes opt to just rest in the jewel.

And It's because of his work that the human's grades suffered. The agency demanded too much from the blond. Always calling him at the most inappropriate times and would take no for an answer. Those people never knew that Kise had just fallen asleep when the phone rang, only took a couple of bites of his food before he was called again to pose in front of the lenses, that he was this close to repeating another year because of them.

So is it too much to ask for a day off? The human worked hard just for this day, and they just had to ruin all that effort because of some 'virus' had deleted all of the photos.

Seriously, it's killing the blond from the inside. If he had it his way, then they'd be kicking the bucket right this moment.

But he held back and instead asked his wielder why won't he just quit. The answer he got was something that he would never have guess would spill right off from those lips, spoken with such a solemn look and melancholic voice.

 _'Being a model was my sister's dream.'_ Kise began, voice much smaller that usual. _'She loved to pose and smile for the camera, to cast her spell and enchant all who saw her in magazines. We would always sit on the couch and flip through these photo albums she had, just laughing and joking around. But then she was fired from her job. Apparently, some models from a rivaling agency envied her success and spread rumors of her beauty being obtained through plastic surgery. She was devasted. All the hard work gone in a blink of an eye. Eventually, it was too much, and she took her own life. That's why I'm here in this studio. To continue her dream.'_

To this day, Kasamatsu could still remember how his wielder's voice crack, eyes slightly shining from unshed tears and white fists shaking with barely contained anger when explaining his reason.

And when asked what he really wanted to be, Kise only scoffed. Saying that his dream was a foolish one. One that would never happen to someone like him.

That day, Kasamatsu grew to respect Kise and at the same time irritated at how stupid the human is.

Now, silence enveloped the air around them. The busy street and loud noises couldn't penetrate the solemn atmosphere surrounding the pair. Kise too frustrated to laugh or whine like usual and Kasamatsu at a loss for words, having no idea on how to cheer the human.

That is until something, no, more like someone caught his attention.

"Is that Kuroko?" Honey orbs lifted their gazes from the gray concrete. Them catching sight of the teal haired demon sitting at a table inside a café with his nose in a book. A hand gingerly held a fork while the other propped the novel up.

"It is!" And that cheerful tone was back in a flash. Kise wasted no time to enter the café. Him running towards Kuroko and tackling the shadow demon from behind. The squeal of "Kurokocchi!" was heard loud and clear even from where he stood, outside of the building.

That idiot. Sad one second, all happy and bubbly the next. It was incredible how Kise could bounce back so quickly like that. To just wipe away all the frowns in his face and be on his way. But now that Kasamatsu though about it, it doesn't matter. The human cheered up, that's what's important.

And meeting one of Seirin's demons besides him might just make his day. Might just overshadow the bad luck for the day. Because just like how giddy and happy little boys and girls would when they meet their idol, their favorite hero or princess they saw on television, the same thing could be said to Kise when he knew the truth about Kuroko being a member of Seirin. The blond babbled all day long about Kuroko yesterday. Eyes shining with a childlike innocence and enthusiasm in them.

He'll have to remind himself to thank Kuroko later for conveniently being there and thank lady luck for making him saw the teal haired demon who was usually invisible. But for now, he had to get inside before the blond does anything stupid.

* * *

"Kurokocchi!" The shrill voice that entered the building was unmistakeable. The footsteps served to just further strengthen his belief. And the familiar spiritual flow left no room for doubt. He's sure of it, Kise was here. And seems like he found Kuroko.

*CRASH*

Who -if his prediction is correct- got a surprise crushing tackle hug from behind.

"What the hell?! Kise, you idiot!"

And Kasamatsu had just arrived, a couple of seconds too late to prevent the inevitable.

"What was that?" Koganei asked the red-haired teen, panicked. The one asked merely smiled in growing amusement, not the least bit worried about the one being tackled.

"My friend probably came and tackled Kuroko." Was the honest response. Hands skillfully cutting a piece of cake and placing it neatly on a small plate. Grabbing a tray next and putting the pastry along with a warm cup of coffee on it. "I'll go check on them."

"Alright. Make sure to clean whatever mess there and bring your cousin to the back room if his clothes got dirty. I have some spares there." A nod and Seijuro was out of the kitchen.

If it's any other people, they would instantly let their gaze follow the customers', where they were focused on the source of all the ruckus. Wanting to know the damage and the extent of the mess. But this is Seijuro, he's not the least bit worried. Especially if the victim is a demon like Kuroko. Worry didn't even come across his mind. But what did enter his mind is a thought of an enraged teal head.

He'll deal with that in a moment. Right now, he had located the table he was supposed to serve his tray to. "Here are your orders." The cake and coffee were placed in front of a man who didn't seem to realize that his orders had arrived. Too busy with gazing at the blond who had 'attacked' the small demon. "Is there anything else I could do for you?" No response. "Sir?"

"Huh? Oh! Uh... Umm... No! Nothing else! Thank you."

"Very well. Please call one of our waiters here is you need anything else." A small bow and the teen walked away towards his 'cousin.' A tray tucked to his side.

Now let's see...

"Damn it! Look at this mess!" The water demon wiped the spilled drink with some tissues. Shattered pieces of glass littered the floor below. Seems like he needs a broom and a mop to clean the mess before ants started raiding the place. He'll get those right away.

"Wah! I'm sorry Kurokocchi!" It was Kise. The model could be seen wiping the cake from Kuroko's face. With each wipe, the frown on Kuroko's visage grew clearer and darker. The rage of having his afternoon interrupted prominent.

And the demon went silent, livid. Not the usual peaceful silent but the calm before the storm one. The one that would initiate a tragedy.

The mind and brain are curious things. Able to run at speed faster than the computers these days and project many things. And right now, Kuroko's mind is racing around. Various scenarios and pictures changing at a rapid pace, trying to select the most effective way as a form of payback. Some were mostly harmless while other's involve psychotic ways.

But unfortunately for him and fortunately for Kise and Kasamatsu, those horrid thoughts were put to a stop in the form of Seijuro. Arriving with a broom and a mop in each hand. "I'm afraid I will have to ask all three of you to shift to another table until the mess is cleaned."

Seeing the other human, Kise wasted no time to tackle hug him. One squeal of "Seijurocchi!" later and the waiter's field of view changed from that of the messy table to that of the model's face. Body no longer standing upright but had fallen flat with the blond on top of him. The mop and broom left forgotten as they clattered.

"What are you doing here? Why is Kuroko here? What's with the uniform? How've you been? Have you-" Various queries then spewed from those lips like a train, rapid and continuous. But Seijuro didn't hear any of those. The voices around him blurred and distorted as his head spun from when the back of his head met the hard floor.

Goodness. Did his head crack? Did he get himself a concussion? Is his brain damaged? Because it felt like it. The world felt like spinning even when he still has his eyes shut. Those questions were not helping, they just made it worse.

 _"It's satisfying to see karma come into play."_ That demon. To throw in telepathic snide remarks when his wielder is suffering from pain...

"Oi! Get off him!" Kasamatsu came and saved the red haired wielder from being squished any further. His strong arms easily picked up Kise like a rag doll, peeling the hyperactive model from him. "Look what you've done! I can't beli-" Seijuro didn't hear the rest of the scolding, still trying his best to recover from the discombobulation.

"Is the floor that comfortable? If so then I suggest we switch our sleeping arrangement. Your bed is heavenly." The voice was close, Kuroko must've crouched beside him. "Akashi-kun? Are you dead?" A finger poked his cheek, incessant and annoying him.

"Of course not." An angry hand swatted the finger. "I've had far worse that this." He was referring to the times when he slipped and fell flat on his back when the other students at school played pranks on him, and also yesterday's match when Kise had yanked him down from his perch on the tree. Compared to those bully filled days and the pain from the broken blisters, something like this is nothing. Although how can he recover so quickly back then was still an enigma, even to him.

Slowly, he forced himself to sit up. Rubbing the back of his head where he was sure it would swell and form a sizeable bump. Blinking away at the stars he's seeing, Seijuro stood up, steadied his footing for a while before picking up the broom and began cleaning the mess. Before some unfortunate guy slip and fall on top of those glass pieces. That would be a disaster.

* * *

With the mess cleaned, Kuroko having changed his shirt, and Seijuro asking for a break, all four of them could be seen sitting at the table. Several plates with various pastries and dish laid in front of them, accompanied by four beverages. But instead of a lively atmosphere, a dark one shrouded the quartet.

"I'm really sorry Kurokocchi, Seijurocchi." Was what Kise said. Looking like a kicked puppy with those honey orbs.

But both waiter and shadow demon didn't respond. Kuroko busy with finding the exact page of the novel he was reading before the book was flung into the air when Kise arrived while Seijuro with an icepack that he gently pressed to the back of his head, wincing and letting out pained hisses every now and then. Either both of them didn't hear the words or had just ignored them, Kise did not know. But one thing the model knew is that he probably ruined their afternoon.

And such, Kise couldn't help the whimper that escaped his lips. This made him resort to poking his food, just like how a child would when they didn't like a particular dish. It was never his intention to hurt them. Really. It was an accident.

Kasamatsu won't help him in this. The water demon only sat there beside him with his arms folded in front of his chest. Head tilted to the side as bluish gray eyes favored the view outside. He probably said enough in the lecture he gave the human a couple of minutes before. Now leaving the blond to fend for himself against the ones sitting in front of him.

"It's alright Kise. You're just too... energetic. Kuroko and I were just caught off guard." Kise snapped his head towards Seijuro who gently felt for the bump before pressing the icepack back. A stomp to a foot and Kuroko hummed an affirmative, although it was more like a pained growl than a hum. Both have forgiven him. "And is the cake not to your tastes? Should I bring you a red velvet instead?"

Kise's features brightened. "Seijurocchi! Kurokocchi! You're all so kind. And no, the cake's delicious!" and to proof his point he shoved a small piece of the cheesecake he ordered to his mouth.

"I'm glad to hear that." A nod. The redhead was about to grab his spoon to eat, but the sound of the pages flipping started to get on his nerves. Grating at his ears as if someone were scratching on a chalkboard. "Kuroko. Stop flipping through the book."

"But I can't find the page." The papers were flipped one by one. Cerulean eyes scanning the words for less than one second before moving on to the next page.

"What's the scene?" Might as well help the demon before the novel rips.

"The fight."

"Try page forty-seven" That was the page where Yayoi and her husband, Kenji got into a fight. Where Yayoi ultimately killed Kenji by suffocating him with a belt around the neck for using her savings for gambling.

"No, I read through that. It was another fight."

"Do you know the exact lines?"

"Hmm... I think it went like 'You know what happened, don't you? They cut him up! Do you know what that means? How hard that was? You hardly even saw him - after you killed him. But I saw him, and God knows how many times I threw up from seeing him...'"

"Oh, you mean the confrontation between Kuniko and Yayoi. Try page one hundred and twenty-four, one hundred and twenty-five, and one hundred and twenty-six. I think that scene is in one of those pages." That's the scene where Kuniko blackmailed Yayoi. It was thrilling. No wonder Kuroko was so desperate to find the page.

The novel was flipped until the desired pages were revealed. Kuroko scanned the words as a finger traced each line. It moved up and down, left and right until finally, the teal head let out a sigh of relief. There it is. Thank goodness. "I found it. Thank you for the help."

"Your welcome. Now that you've found the page..." Seijuro rummaged his waistcoat pockets and pulled out his little notes he used for taking orders and ripped a paper from the wire loops. "Use this for a while." A pale hand grabbed the novel from the demon and slipped the paper in between the pages. "Now eat first, then you can read again. We'll stop by a bookstore and buy a bookmark after I got off work, okay?"

"Fine." Both started eating immediately.

And through all of this, Kise watched, baffled. Honey eyes widened in disbelief and mouth slightly hanging open. Did he see that right? Did they actually remember the contents of the novel so well like that? Do they have brains or computers inside their heads? This prompted for the blonde to ask.

"Seijurocchi, Kurokocchi." Both name owners lifted their gaze from their respective plates. Silently urging him to continue as they munch on their lunch. "How do both of you do that?"

A swallow. "Do what?" The red haired wielder asked, not understanding. Kuroko didn't either, evident from the slight head tilt. "I'm afraid you have to be more specific."

"I meant how you can remember the pages and how Kurokocchi could memorize the exact lines ssu." There was clear disbelieve in his tone. It was as if his brain had failed to digest the unusual information. In which it is failing.

A sip of warm tea. "I've already read the novel. Of course, I know. It's natural, right?"

"An average person can't remember the exact pages like that."

"Really? I thought everybody could do that. My brother can, and Kuroko can remember the exact words." Seijuro pointed at the demon beside him who had resumed eating his food.

Kise couldn't say much. His classmate is inhumane. Geniuses like them won't understand the struggles of the average and below.

"Heh. So the red human is smart. How about asking him to help you with your studies?" Kasamatsu suggested, finally decided to open his mouth. "That's fine with you, right?" The last question was directed towards Seijuro.

"You mean, be a tutor? But why?"

A sigh. "My grades are falling. I'm this close to repeating another year ssu..." The blond held out his thumb and pointer finger. Them almost touching each other. That's... really close. The space between the fingers only a hair's width. Almost nonexistent.

"Unfortunately, I can't do that." A whine. "But..."

"But what?"

"Well, did you see the challenge section when you flipped through the menu earlier?" Seijuro asked, taking a bite of his meal.

The blond hummed. Mind trying to remember. "Is it the last page?"

"Yes, that one. You can challenge the waiters here to a game and get a prize depending on what game and which waiter you challenge."

"Then if I win, you'll tutor me?"

"There are some rules but yes. You can challenge me after I'm done with my break."

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and eat ssu!" Kise urged the redhead to finish his meal. Seijuro shook his head but otherwise proceed to eat.

And as the seconds ticked by, Kise grew more ecstatic. He wished the time would just fly off and not crawl like this. The blond couldn't wait. He's going to win this and Seijuro won't have any choice but to be his tutor. He won't repeat another year!

But the same thought was not mirrored by the water demon. Kasamatsu eyed the red haired wielder who was chatting with Kuroko suspiciously. For someone who was challenged, he's terribly calm. So confident and no ounce of hesitation could be found. He even suggested the challenge. That alone was already fishy enough.

But it's not like this is a life and death situation. It's just a game.

* * *

"Call me when you've picked a song. Until then, I'll be resuming my work." Seijuro placed a tablet in front of the blond. "Feel free to practice for a bit and make sure to pick a song at level ten or higher for the game Diimo and level nine for Sytus."

And with that, he left the table. Ascending a flight of stairs to the second floor.

"So. A rhythm game?" Kasamatsu asked as he saw Kise scrolling through albums and songs.

"Yeah. It seems like you can challenge any waiter to any games listed on the menu. But there are some games that are a specific waiter's specialty." Kise explained a bit. Choosing an album.

"And rhythm games are Seijuro's specialty." A nod. "What sort of prize would you get for winning?"

"Well," The blond flipped the menu Seijuro had left there on their table. "It's said here that it could either be a discount, a free meal, a photo with the defeated waiter, dining together with the defeated waiter, and a date on that waiter's day off. Depends on how well you played against them and what game."

"And your request fall in the category of a date. The grand prize." The demon water hummed. "But for an expert, the scores are not really that high." The game that Kise had picked is Diimo, and the highest score he's seen is only around seventy percent. Well, there are high scores close to one hundred percent, but that's the score of a low-level song. High-level songs with high scores are almost nonexistent.

"Those are not Akashi-kun's scores."

Two pairs of eyes directed their gazes to Kuroko. Hand flipping a page and baby blue pools not leaving those words printed on the paper. "What do you mean?" Kise asked the question that was also plaguing Kasamatsu's mind.

"That white glass board is used by customers only. Akashi-kun uses another one, black in color."

"Is that so..." Kasamatsu looked back to the tablet before looking back at Kuroko. "So, how good is Seijuro?" The blond had selected a song and was now tapping away at the black quads.

A shrug of the shoulders. "I don't know. Not many people challenge him to this game. Usually, it'd be card or board games."

After getting this bit of information, Kasamatsu could only curse. The answer's vague, but he could guess that it's probably because the red haired human is too good that they went on to try their luck on other games.

"What happens if you lose?" The water demon asked again.

"They'd have to pay a certain amount of money to challenge the waiters here. If you win then the money will be returned, and you'd get the prize. If you lose, you won't get your money back."

"And the amount of money?"

"I think it's shown on the menu there. I've never paid that much attention to how much was it."

The menu was grabbed and flipped again. At the last page, at the bottom, there were some rules listed, and one of them revealed to him that the cost of one challenge is one thousand yen. Not an alarming amount of money to pay. So at least if Kise loses, there won't be much at stake. But that other rule made all this much more complicated, and that is-

"Alright, I think I'll pick this song." The blond suddenly exclaimed.

"Are you sure? Because once you-"

"I'm sure!" The model cut off Kasamatsu mid-sentence. "Can you call your wielder, Kurokocchi?"

"Okay."

A sigh. This won't end well, Kasamatsu just knew it. And when he saw the score screen still spread out on the tablet… He doubts a score of eighty-seven point fifty-three percent could do much. Even if Kise set up a new high score on that tablet.

Well, it's too late. There's the red human approaching with another tablet.

* * *

"So, have you selected a song?" Seijuro said once he returned to his seat beside Kuroko.

"Of course!" Came the enthusiastic reply. "I'm not gonna lose ssu!"

A smile, one that just screams confidence. As if hearing something so absurd that it's almost laughable. The calmness that radiated from his being, a contrast to Kise's enthusiasm. "Sytus or Diimo?"

"Diimo. Oceanus."

"Okay." Fingers tapped the screen, swiping the glass slab until it found the mentioned song. Kasamatsu was about to see the score but was prevented from doing so when the screen was tapped again and a black circle appeared in the middle. A setting for the speed.

"The speed?"

"Six."

Seijuro adjusted the speed and when done, he hovered a finger over the start word at the bottom. "Before we start. Do you want to change songs?"

"Nope. Let's just get started!"

"Then on the count of three. We'll start together." Not waiting for a response, the red-haired waiter begins the countdown. And when the word 'three' was said, both tapped the start and the screen immediately changed.

And around two minutes later…

"Nooo…"

…Found the model laying his head on the table, hand pulling at his blond strands in both frustration and defeat.

"You lost." And Kasamatsu wasn't even surprised. He expected it even when Kise's tablet showed the score of ninety-four point sixty-seven percent and Seijuro's score a whopping one hundred percent. Perfect, with the golden tree symbol.

"I'm sorry, but you have to pay." The waiter said as he exited the app and turned off the tablet.

"No! I want a rematch!"

"You can't do that." It was Kasamatsu who answered. This made Kise whip his head to his demon.

"Why?"

A huff and the menu was once again flipped until the last page laid before them. A finger pointed a particular rule at the bottom of the page. "See this rule here? It says 'A customer is only allowed to challenge a waiter once a day.' That means you can't challenge him until the next day."

"And tomorrow is my day off." That was the last nail on the coffin.

"I'm doomed…" The blond banged his head on the desk. "I'm gonna repeat another year…" Kasamatsu pulled his wielder's wallet and handed him one thousand yen.

"You can try again next week, Kise." Seijuro collected the money and tablets before he stood up from his seat. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

And the red haired wielder left. Two tablets held gingerly by one hand, them going to be put away in their usual place. Which is probably the little drawer below the cashier. Seijuro didn't even glance back towards his defeated opponent as he almost immediately went into the kitchen to bring out trays upon trays of dishes and beverages to the tables.

Seeing this, Kasamatsu felt that as if he was back to square one. The sight if his wielder still with his nose buried on the table was proof of Kise's derogating mood. And here he thought the blond couldn't get any more upset than earlier. But seeing the human beside him, all slumped with a dejected aura of resignation to his fate oozing from his being, it made all his initial believes fizzle away.

Kasamatsu let his gaze stray to his fellow Seirin member. The teal haired demon still far too engrossed with the novel. Well, if Kuroko's like this then he would not bother with anything else. Even during those days when they were in the middle of a strategy meeting, he won't even bat an eyelash. But when suddenly asked for some opinions and suggestions, he'll close the book with a flourish and outright switched into lecture mode on the flaws and what's the most effective way to wipe out the enemy's forces.

That's why everyone never berates him for bringing various books and scrolls to meetings and would just proceed with their discussion when he was in the middle of devouring the words on those papers with his blank cerulean eyes. Because in the end, he paid attention and would always have the solution in his mind. Guess some things just never change after all these years.

"I can help you with persuading Akashi-kun if you want." That soft tone of Kuroko's pierced through Kasamatsu's inner mind. Promoting both water demon and human to focus their eyes on the demon in front of them who had closed his novel and placed it on the table, not forgetting to slip the piece of paper in between the pages.

"Really?" Just like he suspected, Kise immediately took the bait. And he just knew there's some kind of ulterior motive behind the seemingly innocent offer. Kuroko won't just offer his help if it didn't have any benefits for him. That was a fact, an ugly fact.

A nod. "Yes, but I think it won't be fun if I just immediately help you like this. Everything has to be accomplished with effort." There it is. The surface of the offer. He always begins with saying that everything has to be done with effort. Which is not wrong but, it still rang alarms in his mind.

"Then what should I do?" Kise wasted no time to ask. By now Kuroko had his wielder warped around his fingers. The blond responding just the way Kuroko wanted. Because if he knew anything from watching Kuroko negotiate countlessly with various people be it human or demons is that the more desperate the person, the more predictable they'll be.

"Not much. Just a game. I can't actually ask you to have a match with me or request you for anything since I'm still confused with this world's state." Not yet. He still hasn't put front his so called 'game' and the conditions. "Why are you looking at me like that Kasamatsu-san?"

"I have every right to be." Because negotiating and putting pressure on people is Kuroko's area of expertise. A scary thing if you think about it.

"You're taking this too seriously. I assure you, no harm will come to Kise-kun. We're not at war anymore." Those words were meant to reassure him but Kasamatsu only grew warier.

"Cut to the case. What's your game and the catch."

An exasperated sigh. "You're always so impatient and suspicious over everything. You made it seem as if I'm the bad one here." A slight shook of the head. "No matter. I was just going to propose a game of eat the last dumpling. A popular game amongst the Seirin members. We always play it over every single meal." Cerulean eyes shone with mischief. "Right, Kasamatsu-san?"

Kasamatsu clicked his tongue. He remembered that blasted game, no, not a game, more like an all out fight. Broken chairs, flipped tables, shattered plates, spilled drinks. He remembered those all too well. The chaos that would always ensue over the last piece of meat, the last pork bun, the last berry, even the last peanut. And sometimes if they were really desperate, they'll resort to using spells and artes. "You're suggesting that chaotic game? Had those years away from us made you all crazy like this?"

"Hardly. You haven't given me the opportunity to explain my own custom rules."

"Custom rules?" Kasamatsu grew suspicious again. "Explain." His tone left no room for a no.

"I was about to." Kuroko intertwined his fingers on top of the table. "The name of the game is actually self-explanatory. We'll order mochi and eat them one by one until there's only a single mochi left. Whoever eats the last one wins. Simple. But we're going to use chopsticks, and if the platter or mochi got flung out of this table or touched the floor, then it's your win. I made the rules to your advantage."

"When the rules are against you, then usually the reward is against us." Kasamatsu won't be fooled that easily. The sneaky fox always has something up his sleeves.

"Well, you're not wrong." Even now, Kise started to get suspicious. "But they won't really effect you. If you win, I'll do everything to persuade Akashi-kun to be your tutor. If I win, you'll have to abide by two of my requests."

"What requests?"

"You'll know after one of us wins."

Silence, both Kise and Kasamatsu didn't utter a word. "I won't force you to accept." Kuroko began. "But heed my words, I won't be suggesting this anymore after this and persuading Akashi-kun is a lost cause. He's stubborn as a mule. Trying to win against him even more so. Not a single customer has won against him in rhythm games."

There it is. Pressuring them and making his own offer seem so tantalizing. This will cause the one being offered to panic and agree too fast. "Kise. Don't just agree. Thin-"

"Alright. I accept. I'll order the mochi." Kasamatsu can only facepalm. Damn it…

* * *

"So, there's only one left," Kuroko said, still munching on the small cake in his mouth. Two pairs of hands grabbed the chopsticks laid on before them and adjusted their hold on the eating utensil. "Are you ready?"

"Ready." Kise's prepared. He'll win this.

"Please start the countdown Kasamatsu-san."

"Fine." It was really ridiculous that both of them -himself included, earlier- would take this silly game so seriously. But it seems like academics are vital in this world. So very different from those years where the most important thing is a full stomach and overwhelming strength.

"One, two, three…" He counted down sloppily. He already knew the outcome anyway since the game's rigged. What he didn't know are the two requests.

Immediately after Kasamatsu said that Kise wasted no time to let his chopstick go near the single mochi. The two sticks parted and were about to chomp down on the sweet but another pair of chopsticks intercepted his. They bit Kise's chopsticks like a snake would to its prey, making it clamp shut.

But before Kuroko could disarm Kise, the blond pulled back his utensil. The demon took this advantage and speared the small white ball on the plate with one of his chopsticks. Kise immediately stabbed Kuroko's hand, making the limb release its hold on the chopsticks. The now dango was now without anything to keep it upright. It stumbling, almost touching the table. The blond saw this and was about to grab it, but Kuroko wasn't having any of it.

He hit the table with his fist. The bang sound that it produced made all eyes of the customers there focus on them. But both Kise and Kuroko ignored them, the stabbed mochi absorbed all their attention as it was flung into the air. Seeing his chance, Kise's arm shot out to grab it. And it was inches away from touching his hand before a single chopstick flung towards the item in the air.

It sailed upwards, spinning like a windmill until its tip touched the one already in the air. This made the cake tip away from Kise and fall towards the shadow demon. Kise acted on reflex and stood from his seat, leaning over it in attempts to grab the utensil. But Kuroko seems as if he had anticipated this as he kicked the edge of the table. This forced the blond to sit back down as the demon immediately snatched the chopstick midair and devoured the mochi. Savoring the taste and the sight of a flabbergasted Kise. The other hand caught the small plate from suffering a terrible fate of being shattered into pieces.

"I won." Kuroko said as he munched. The other customers who saw them applauded. Some whistled loudly at the display. Even the waiters there had stopped to watch the spectacle when they heard the bang. This includes Seijuro who had recovered and was now stomping his way to their table. Ready to lecture the troublemaker.

"Kuroko. Care to explain?" Twin ruby eyes narrowed dangerously at cerulean eyes. Kuroko merely blinked and set down the plate and chopstick, tidying up the table.

"Akashi-kun. Perfect timing. I was about to call you here." He patted the seat beside his. "Please sit down for a minute. This also concerns you."

"Of course it does. Whenever you cause trouble, I'll always find myself having to take responsibility for you." He sat on the chair. "What is it this time?"

"Sounds like you had it rough with him." Kasamatsu could only chuckle. Seeing the shadow demon being scolded like that and the red human irritated was amusing.

"You don't know. I almost got expelled because of him." A huff. He eyed the demon beside him who was sipping his water. "What happened?"

"I played a game against Kise-kun. I won, and now he has to listen to my requests." Was the simple explanation. "Now," Kuroko set down his glass of water. "The first request,"

"Wait! You cheated ssu!" Kise pointed an accusing finger towards the shadow demon. "The mochi was flung up in the air!"

"Didn't you hear his rules? He said you'll win if the mochi got flung _out_ of the table, not _up_ in the air." Kasamatsu answered for Kuroko. "Pay attention next time."

"That's right. Thank you for saving me from having to explain." Kuroko crossed his legs and leaned forward."Now as I was saying, The first request is that I want you and Kasamatsu-san to be Akashi-kun's wielding tutors."

"Wha-"

"What the hell?! Why am I being roped into this?"

The teal haired demon ignored them and continued. "For the second request. I want Kise-kun to be tutored by," His pale pointer finger stuck out towards his own wielder. "Akashi-kun."

"What is the meaning of this, Kuroko?" That one sentence represents all three of them.

A tilt of the head. "Why are all of you so upset? This is a win-win solution."

"I know that but…" Kise began but stopped. Not knowing how to explain.

"Both of you have no right to refuse. Kise-kun, you're in dire need of a tutor and Akashi-kun has exceptional academic prowess." He grabbed his novel, ready to resume his reading. "And there's only so much I could teach you regarding wielding as demons could only use one element while humans can use all elements if they want to." The last one was directed towards his own human.

The book was flipped until the page with the paper revealed itself. Kuroko plucked out the paper and began reading the words, leaning on the chair's backrest. Ignoring the other three currently sitting with him at the table.

"Damn it, Kuroko. You could've said that this is your goal all this time." Kasamatsu said. Suddenly tired. The shadow demon's antics always have this effect on him. "Well, what about you two? It is a win-win solution just like he said."

"… Fine. I lost to him anyway." Kise sighed, upset at his defeat, but almost immediately bounced right back. All giddy and ecstatic. "So, Seijurocchi, how about tomorrow? You said tomorrow is your day off, right?"

"Yes, It is." A slight nod. There's no point in refusing. It's already decided, even if it's without his knowledge and consent. "Where will we meet up?"

A hum. "How about at my place? Let's exchange numbers so I can text you the address and time." Kise pulled out his cellphone from his pocket.

"Okay." Seijuro did the same and they proceed to add each other to their contacts list.

"Hehe… I get to spend the entire day tomorrow with Seijurocchi and Kurokocchi." Kise said with this childlike glee. Tone so light and happy as he marveled the newly added contact on his screen. "And I won't repeat another year ssu."

Well, today is not really so bad after all.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. This chapter is more like a filler since the last chapter is already intense and all. And I'm really happy that I get to write about Kise and Kasamatsu here in contrast to only writing about Seijuro and Kuroko. It was really fun to type and I also dropped a few information in this one, just to avoid any confusion in the later chapters.

Anyway, I hope you get a picture of the kind of workplace Seijuro has. And before I forget, the tables at the café are similar to the ones at a fast food restaurant. So it's more like two small tables pushed together into one. So when Kuroko and Kise played eat the last dumpling, they had moved all other items on the table to the one beside them, leaving only their chopstick and the plate of mochi in the middle.

The price for Kuroko's vanilla milkshake and opera cake is made up. I'm not actually sure of the actual prices. And the pages of the novel are based on the ebook not the actual novel. So the pages may be different.

Now, the reviews!

~Rinfantasy, Zleihsh: Thank you so much!

~DJ Candy: Hi! The fight scene is a bit lacking, but I'll try my best next time. Glad to see that I got to convey Kise's strength more or less clearly. But if you think about it, Kise has more experience than Seijuro because he's been a wielder longer than Seijuro so it won't make any sense if I made Seijuro stronger than him when he's still an amateur. Kise's primary element is water. I just thought that since water can take form into anything depending on the container, it just fits Kise perfectly since he has the copycat ability. But I have to say, he is shiny, even when he's being kicked by Kasamatsu XD.

The little pause? You mean the one during the fight? Well, no matter. Last chapter really did advance the plot, a lot. Seirin is a clan? Well, if you want to describe it like that then I won't have any qualms. I'll let you wander around with your imagination. Can't spoil all the information, right? I'll be going over all that (Seirin, Too, Rakuzan, Yosen, Shuutoku, Kaijou) in the later chapters. Yeah, I already planned for Kuroko being a member of Seirin from the start. That made him seem as if he's all mysterious and stuff, (to deepen the story and all) since he's all tight-lipped at almost everything. (even the less important stuff like how to make him visible to other humans and his age. Well, the age was more like him not wanting to reveal that he's old lol) And when I read you say that Kuroko was similar to Kyubey I was like 'Oh my God! He is similar!' But Kuroko ain't that crazy. Yet... I don't know. I tend to change the way the plot flows so I can't really predict the next chapters. That's also one of the many reasons why I update so slow. Kasamatsu as a serpent was just me deciding it on a whim, the same goes for Kuroko being a fox. There's not particular reason for me to chose those beasts.

Whoa, really? I thought it was rather obvious that Seijuro would set fire on the whole field. But I guess it was just me. And yes, there was a war and Kuroko disappeared right after it and Seirin is pissed. But don't worry, I'll go over that in the later chapters. I'll let all the confusion pile up first. It's more fun that way.

Yeah, it's a bit obvious when you see it from the overall situation. And you're right about the principal offering the opportunity to just anybody that he thinks have exceptional potential. He's just following the school system. While Seishuro kinda twisted the match a bit (the opponent). Kise's getting along with Seijuro. I always see him as the friendly type, well, at least to the people he recognizes. If he thinks they're weak then he'll be a bit cold. But as for his 'relationship' with Seishuro, uhh... I'm sorry, I'm still thinking about that... goodness...

The patriarch and demons... I can't tell you anything about that unless you want to be spoiled. And about something happening to the Akashi family, I can't tell you that either because I'm still playing around with the flow of the story. I have many scenes and ending in my mind but I'm having a hard time deciding, and it's rather confusing. But I guess it's rather normal for me to be like that, even when writing a one shot. But seriously, I'm grateful that people kept on asking various things about this fic because it helped with finding loopholes and stuff in my story. Really helpful.

You know, I actually searched up the episode, and I stumbled upon a blooper where Reo uses this shooting stance (?) where he would bump into other people so they'll get a foul and he would get four points instead of the normal three. In the bloopers, he bumped into Takao and when asked by Kotaro (he really calls him Reo-nee) why didn't he do that earlier, he answered that he can't use it all the time and he won't just bump into people so carelessly (since they're sweaty and all). But if it's Takao, he's willing to bump into him all the time since Takao has a *ahem* sexy body. And then he's got this perverted expression on his face, Nebuya and Kotaro were creeped out, and Takao shivered. I don't know about you, but that one cracked me up.

That guy just made things more confusing. Seriously, I can't understand the dude's line of thinking. I mean sure, it's kinda like some sort of proof that America had separated from Britain but do they have to make things so complicated? But that's just me. I do not mean any offense when saying that and it's actually an interesting information. I didn't know something like that happened. Never thought that I can actually get a mini-history lesson from the reviews! Seriously, thanks for the little info!

That's pretty clever. I didn't think that Kuroko sleeping on the floor would mess up his back. Oh my God, I laughed when I read that. I think I gained some inspiration from that. Can I use that idea for some future omakes and stuff? The idea is too hilarious to not to be used. It'll be such a waste!

Glad the frostbite information is useful. Take care not to get them. It's kinda scary. (I saw images of people suffering from frostbites, ain't pretty.)

~Kirika 07: Thank you! Unfortunately, I can't tell you that. Don't want to spoil the story, right? Please wait for the later chapters in the future for that.

~ScarletMoon19: Hi! :D Thank you! Yeah, Seirin is a part of this story. I was somehow able to make it work. And Kise's element is water since I thought water can take many forms depending on the container. But your theory also makes sense, I actually haven't thought it like that! About my english, I don't know. I actually thought it's still lacking. Especially when I read some of the fics here and how they could make their story flow, how they can make each paragraph connect with the ones below them, and how they can string gorgeous words and sentences together. It's a far stretch from mine that's still a bit choppy and uses a lot of repetitive words. And don't worry about long reviews. I'm just grateful that you could spare your time to type one.

I guess that's it. Thanks again for reading, reviewing and clicking on the follow and/or favorite button. I apologize for any grammatical errors and/or misspellings that you may find in this fic. Have a great day!

* * *

Omake 1 - Stabbed to the Wall

The mess was cleaned. Now Kuroko, Kise and Kasamatsu had moved back to occupy the table. While Seijuro brought the shattered pieces of the plate and glass to the back and dumped it in the trash. But as he was doing so, something was missing.

"Kuroko." Seijuro asked his demon who was trying to find the page in his novel. Flipping it frantically. The teal head didn't say anything but the human knew he was listening."Where's the fork you were using?"

"Oh, that." Kasamatsu pointed at the far wall. "You mean that one?"

And there it was. Stabbed to the wall. An inch deep.

"How did it get there?" Seijuro approached the wall and gripped the utensil. Trying to pull it out.

"He probably threw it on reflex." Kasamatsu stood up and approached the red haired human. "Here, let me help."

"I appreciate tha- Wait, don't!" But it was too late, the water demon had manipulated the energies around him and cut a portion of the wall around the fork.

"Here you go." The fork was given to him, complete with the piece of the wall. It's as if the demon was offering him to have a taste of the wall...

"I, Uhh... Thank you, Kasamatsu-san." Seijuro said with a hollow tone.

But the one being thanked didn't realize his wrong doing. "Sure thing." And he promptly returned to his seat.

Now, how is he going to explain the square shaped hole there?

* * *

Omake 2 - Clothes

"I'm really sorry Kurokocchi, Seijurocchi." Kise apologized.

The two in front of him didn't respond, which he assumed they hate him. But unbeknownst to him, a conversation was being held between the two. Secretly and telepathically.

 _"See Kasamatsu-san? He's wearing modern clothes and he looks plenty comfortable."_ Seijuro said.

 _"I'm different. And Kise-kun probably forced him into those clothes like what you did to me."_ Kuroko retorted back.

 _"I highly doubt that. He'll kick Kise if that happens."_

 _"There's a high chance he already did."_

 _"And there's a high chance he's gotten used to the clothes and thought that clothes nowadays are simpler than the old traditional one."_

 _"Hmph, humans these days. They do not know the appeal of traditional clothes. Forgotten their roots. Despicable."_

 _"Or maybe you just have a stiff way of thinking. People like that usually fall under the category of old folks."_

 _"Are you insinuating about my age?"_ Kuroko gritted out.

 _"Is Kuroko oji-san offended?"_

 _"... No, I'm not."_

 _"Don't be sad, Kuroko oji-san. Everything in this world gets old. You're not the only old man here."_

Silence before finally, _"Just go and answer to Kise-kun."_ The words were grumbled out.

 _"Don't try to escape from the conversation."_

 _"I'm ending it. Get. Out!"_ And he kicked the human out of the link.

* * *

Omake 3 - Password

Kise's honey orbs twitched with frustration. Them glaring at his cellphone's screen as the device's reception is low, almost gone as it kept failing at opening a page on the internet.

A click of the tongue. He'll have to ask one of the staffs for the wi-fi password.

"Excuse me." He called to one of the waiters. A teen with brown hair. "There's wi-fi in this café, right? Can I ask for the password?"

"Oh, it's one two three four five six seven eight."

Kise nodded, thanked the waiter and proceeded to type the password. Which turned out to be wrong.

That's strange.

"Excuse me." He called to another waiter. This one a male with cat-like features. "Can I as for the wi-fi password?

"Sure. It's one two three four five six seven eight."

"Are you sure? I just typed that, but it's not working."

"Of course I'm sure!"

"Then can y-"

"Koganei-san. Can you help out on the second floor?"

"Yeah! I'm sorry I gotta go." And the water left him. Quickly ascending the stairs.

A sigh. "Hey, Kurokocchi. Can you call Seijurocchi here?"

"Alright." The demon said. Eyes still darting left and right, reading the words printed to the novel.

And soon, the red haired human arrived. Still carrying a tray full of dirty dishes. "Is there anything I could help you?"

"Yeah. Can you tell me the wi-fi password?"

"It's one two thr-"

"I tried that, but it didn't work. How about you write it down."

"Okay." He set down the tray on the table and pulled out his little notes. Jotting down the password before ripping the paper. "Here." The tray was lifted again after he slipped his pen and notes back to his pockets. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

A shook of the head was what he got as an answer. "Then if you'll excuse me." And Seijuro left the table, heading towards the kitchen.

While Kise can only stare at the paper.

There, written in neat handwriting are the numbers 2444666668888888.

He just got trolled...

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket, the profile image I used, the game Deemo nor the game Cytus. They belong to their respective owners.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Surprises

One would think that coming over to a friend's house is a simple, everyday thing. All you need to do is set the time, the place and meet up, that's it. No need for other preparations except for meager things that needed to be brought like cell phone and cash. And for the most part, the first and second things were easily done as the bubbly model yesterday had already decided those. But it was a whole new thing for the last one.

Here he was, in a foreign part of the city along with an equally clueless demon as his companion in this dizzying journey to Kise's place. Seijuro's twin ruby eyes swept the whole area around before they returned to the small cell phone of his. On the screen was an address along with the time and a bunch of additional emoticons 'decorating' the text. Making it difficult to read.

The demon beside him held up a map of the area. It was something that Seijuro bought at the train station to help them navigate through the unfamiliar area. Those wide blue eyes scanned the large piece of paper, occasionally squinting as his face came unbelievably close to the map, nose almost touching. The words printed were too small to his liking.

While Kuroko was busy with the map, Seijuro checked the time. He realized it has been around ten minutes since they got off the train and an hour of trying to figure out their way in this busy part of the city. Walking aimlessly with only their instincts and hunches as their guide and a map that was proofing to be more useful as a fan than a direction helper.

After a while, one would ask. Why not ask the people there? There must be someone who could give directions, right?

They tried that.

And lo and behold, none of them have ever heard the name of the place. Earning them questioning looks and hesitant polite small laughs.

Then try calling Kise.

Already did that. The result? The dial tone kept on ringing until the robotic female voice told him to leave a message.

"Any luck?" Seijuro nudged Kuroko. The shadow demon perked up, lowering the paper and proceeds to rub his eyes. The poor guy.

"I've re-read the map at least three times and not once did I spot the name of the road in that little glass slab of yours," Kuroko reported to him. "What about you?"

A shook of the head. No need for words as that single small gesture is a common sign language for the negative. "Kise's not picking up. Let me see the map." He was immediately handed the map as he rummaged his bag for his glasses and water bottle.

The direction filled paper was exchanged for the bottle as he wasted no time to search the address while Kuroko took his time to gulp the water greedily. The weather was clear and even though it was spring, it's still humid as they had been roasted under the sun for a while now. And the fact that it was close to summer wasn't helping.

Kuroko leaned back on the bench they were sitting. A hand rose to wipe at his forehead where it was drenched with sweat. He tilted his head back, a hand slightly covering his eyes. Today's a beautiful day. The sky was blue with not a cloud to be sighted, nothing's stopping the sun from pouring its rays on them. Not even the winds dared to breeze by.

His ears caught the sounds of children playing. And it was expected as they're now in a park. Filled with little kids running around and parents keeping watch over them like a hawk would. Kuroko watched the tiny humans play. Identifying some of the games they were playing as hide and seek, tag, blind man, hop-scotch, and others that he assumed was made on the spot.

A sudden tune played along with something vibrating on the bench, breaking him from his thoughts. The combination of the obnoxious tune and the noise produced when the device vibrated against the bench made him jump. His hand, already covered with shadow particles almost smashed the cell phone if not for Seijuro who snatched it away from him, flipped it open and pressed a button.

"Hello." Kuroko heard his wielder say. Energies dissipating as he took the map from Seijuro, folding it.

...

"Yes, there's a small problem." Oh, it's not a small problem, it a big problem. One that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible.

...

"I can't find your address." Seijuro pulled out a pen and a notebook from his bag. The phone tucked between the ear and shoulder. "Of course I'm sure. Kuroko and I had asked people for directions, and I even bought a map of the area. We still can't find your place."

...

"Yes, I'm ready." And Seijuro's pen glided over the paper, scribbling the right address. Kuroko who saw the words jotted down there almost ripped the map he was holding in half. So all this time, after being fried alive under the sun and being labeled as idiots when they asked people, Kise gave them the wrong address?

...

"Alright, we'll see you there." A press to a button and the phone was flipped shut. "Got the address. Let's go."

"Can I torture Kise when I get there?"

Seijuro tore the paper and packed his things. "Of course. I'll even lend you a hand."

* * *

Three knocks resounded through the apartment, piercing the silence and alerting the two occupants of the residence. Kise who was walking circles around the apartment perked up when he heard them as he bounded over to the door like a child on a Christmas morning while Kasamatsu followed behind at a much slower pace.

Another string of knocks. This time louder and were more like the one on the other side of the entrance had this intention to break down the door. "Coming!" Kise yelled before he unlocked the door to reveal both Kuroko and Seijuro. The former had his fist held up, midway from banging the door.

"Kurokocchi! Seijurocchi!" Kise was this close to tackling both of his guests if not for Kasamatsu who grabbed the scruff of his shirt. "Save that for later. Let them come inside first." The demon dragged the human back. "Come on in. Make yourselves comfortable."

"Thank you." Both took out their shoes and went inside. Socked feet padding the wooden floors of the apartment as a mumbled "Sorry for interrupting." slipped from their lips.

"Is there something I could get for the both of you?" Kasamatsu asked, releasing his hold on his wielder when he deemed the blond won't crush the pair of guests.

"Water." Seijuro and Kuroko said in unison. The red haired human fanning himself with the slightly crumpled paper containing the address while Kuroko wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. On each of their hands is a bottle of water. Emptied of their contents. "And can we please have them cold?" Kuroko added, supported by a nod from Seijuro.

"Alright." Kasamatsu walked towards the kitchen as both guests sat on the plush brown colored sofas. Letting their backs lean against it as their bodies slightly sunk down.

"Is it that hot outside?" Kise's voice could be heard asking them a question. A hand reached to pull a drawer and grabbed a remote control. Pressing the power button so that the air conditioner came alive to blow cool air into the apartment.

"Yes. We've been walking around aimlessly for around an hour and around twenty minutes searching your apartment." Seijuro answered as he grabbed the cold drink offered to him by Kasamatsu. He thanked the water demon before gulping down the water in one go. Kuroko could be seen mirroring his actions. "So, what subjects are you having trouble with?" The glass was placed down on the coffee table in front of him.

"All of it ssu." Kise replied with a dejected sigh. "I'll go and get my notes."

* * *

"Let's see question 8. The sum of three numbers is 98. The ratio of the first to the second is 2/3, and the ratio of the second to the third is 5/8. What is the second number?" Seijuro read the question out loud. "In this case, we'll name the three numbers x,y, and z and the sum is 98. So that means x + y + z = 98. The ratio of the first to the second is- Kise?" the red haired teen stopped his explanation as he saw Kise's attention have wondered off somewhere. Honey eyes looking through the window as he twirled his pencil mindlessly.

The blond having heard his name being called immediately straighten up. "Oh. Uhh… Sorry Seijurocchi, I got distracted."

The mentor let out a sigh. It has been around three hours since both of them started the study lesson. They had gone through geography, history, and classic literature. And for the most part, Kise had shown interest in those subjects. The blond was piqued as Seijuro let the knowledge spill from his mouth like a waterfall, doing everything he could to make the lessons as fun and exciting as possible. Questions being asked and given simple easy to understand answers, adding a substantial amount of the lectures he's given to be jotted down to Kise's notes. But when they moved on to maths, it's as if the model's not with him in spirit.

Well, he understands that some subjects are uninteresting. Boring and dull to the point of just trying to focus is almost impossible. Add that to the lazy style of teaching most of the teachers at the academy had where they would just drawl on and on about the lesson... No wonder the students there looked so desperate to leave the school or at least pray for the time to pass faster.

But even so, he couldn't just stop midway. Not after looking at the messy table they're at, cluttered with strewn papers, books, and other stationery. Time is of the essence, and if they were to stop now, chances of the blond repeating another year will increase. That's something both humans wouldn't want to happen.

Although, studying nonstop like this is ineffective.

"Alright. Let's stop for now and resume the studies later." Seijuro took off his glasses and closed the book. Tidying up the table a bit so as to make it look a bit presentable.

"Finally…" Kise slumped forwards. Upper body sprawled on the table as he laid his head.

" _Done already?"_ Both of them heard Kasamatsu ask. The serpent who was chilling on his wielder's bed lifted his head, voice sounding slightly slurred as he had just woken up from his nap. The serpent –who was now the size of an average snake- did his own version of stretching as the fins running down the back and the wings flared. The tail fin was also flared as it rattled a bit, making the silver ring jingle.

"Not really. We're just taking a break." Seijuro said as he sorted the papers and notes. "If I continue now, he'll die."

Bluish gray eyes saw the blond sprawled on the table. _"You're right."_ Kasamatsu slithered down towards the red haired human. Climbing up the legs and torso until he coiled himself around the neck. The serpent's scales felt cool against his neck as the water demon's head rested atop Seijuro's hair. _"So, how'd he do?"_

"Surprisingly well. He showed interest in geography, history, classic literature. But as for maths, he showed no interest at all. He was daydreaming the whole time I was explaining." Seijuro reported as he took a sip of his water. "Although it could be that we were studying for a while now, so he lost interest in the overall activity."

" _Either way, he's improving. That alone is already big."_ The serpent commented as he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. _"You should go and eat somewhere or maybe order some takeouts."_ Seijuro nodded as he stood up and looked around before finding out that what he was looking for was on the bed.

"Kuroko." A pair of hands picked up the sleepy obsidian furball and held it up in front of him, shaking it slightly. "Wake up. We're going out to find some food."

 _"Mmm... Let me sleep... Akashi-kun..."_ The fox mumbled off telepathically as his paws helplessly tried to make Seijuro's hands detach from him. Body wiggling slightly in a saddening attempt to escape.

 _"Just let him sleep. I'll go with you outside."_ The serpent around his neck said. He slithered down until he was fully on the floor before reverting to his human form. "And you don't know the area well, right? It's more logical to have me than getting lost with him."

"Alright." Seijuro put his demon back on the sofa as the fox happily welcomed the soft embrace. Twisting and turning before settling down and with a slight purr, he was already in dreamland.

"Got your wallet?" Kasamatsu slipped a couple of cash into his pocket and grabbed a ring of keys.

He patted his clothes before it came into contact with a slight bulge from the right side of his pants. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Okay. Oi, Kise. You want something particular to eat?" The blond haired teen shook his head. Body still sprawled on the table. "Alright, We're off. Make sure you keep me visible."

"And don't startle Kuroko while he's asleep." Seijuro added, slipping his cell phone to his other pants pocket.

"Spoken from experience?"

"Yes..."

Kasamatsu let out a string of laughs as he unlocked the door.

* * *

"You know, I can't help but marvel at your naiveness."

Seijuro glanced at Kasamatsu who was walking beside him before he let his gaze return forward. Keeping an eye on the road and trying to memorize the way. Shifting the plastic bags he was carrying from one hand to the other, he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Kasamatsu didn't answer for a while. Just plain walking and maneuvering his way around the people there, making sure not to stray away from the human.

"I meant how you could just up and left your demon in a foreign part of the city and went out with another demon." He stole a look towards Seijuro who looked like he was thinking something.

"Well, it's more like I trust you," Seijuro answered. "I trust that you won't harm me just like how you trusted Kuroko not to harm Kise. And we're in a public place. If you're to cause trouble here, it will not end well."

"I can always lead you to a secluded place and torture you." Kasamatsu pointed out. He was more familiar with these parts of the city than Seijuro. That would mean the human had a disadvantage if he were to chose to attack him.

There was a pause before Seijuro decided to speak. "...Somehow, the way you said that felt wrong," The human said slowly, cautious. "It's like you're a harasser. Don't tell me..."

"What the hell?! Of course not! Did Kuroko rubbed off on you?" Kasamatsu exclaimed, horrified. One hand gripping at the shorter one's shoulder, gripping it painfully. "You got guts."

A small laugh. "I was just joking. I know you're not that that kind of person. So, can you please release your grip? I think I heard a crack..." Kasamatsu could see Seijuro's hand trying to pry his fingers as the slight crease of his brow was made more and more prominent with each passing second. Teeth gritted as he held back a scream.

The demon retracted his hand. "That may be true, but you forgot that Kuroko is with Kise. I could easily tell him to kill your wielder." Seijuro said. A hand rubbing at his shoulder. His bones are still intact, but he could feel it forming a bruise.

"I can kill you off in a matter of seconds. You won't even realize it." Kasamatsu countered back. They took a turn. The apartment building still a little further away but they're getting nearer.

"Both Kuroko and I had thought of that. We've already set up various safety precautions. Kuroko will activate the numerous spells he had casted on me if he thinks you posed as a threat to my well being." Seijuro said nonchalantly. "And if that ever happens, he'll immediately torture Kise. He's currently bloodthirsty since I restricted him from using violence. You won't even realize it until he crushes Kise's demonic jewel. And the fact that he's still upset because Kise gave us the wrong address just adds up to the list of motives..." He trailed off as twin ruby eyes spotted a book store. "Oh, can you hold these for me? I need to buy something."

The plastic bags were given to him as the human walked into the store. Disappearing behind rows upon rows of bookshelves there.

Well, that amusing. There's actually more to that human than meets the eye. When he thought he was just naive, he's actually very cautious and careful. Even though he had willingly come here to an unfamiliar place and outright giving him a perfect chance for him to kill him. Not that he'd do that. He's lucky that Kasamatsu isn't the kind of demon to just kill people for fun. But if it were other demons... It's better not to wander to that dark part of his mind.

And if he heard it right, the human subtly threaten him and Kise. That just shows that he was in control of the situation and not the other way around, even though he was literary in enemy's territory. Seijuro is cunning in his own way. The innocence he displayed to everyone was just a facade. It was obvious, especially when he saw his eyes harden when he started talking about the topic. The red human had seen and experienced more than the average human his age.

The water demon sighed as he leaned against the wall beside the bookstore. Kasamatsu was astounded that even though Seijuro had gone through a lot, he still has a bright outlook on this wicked world. That's something even he couldn't help but admire as he didn't succumb to the darkness of despair. And maybe that's the reason why Kuroko chose him. Willingly becoming that human's demon when usually he won't even bother.

His bluish gray eyes found Seijuro picking a book from a shelf while holding a couple of markers on the other hand. Flipping it open before placing it back, finding it not to his liking. A few moments of walking around, he finally selected one, taking a few highlighters and sticky notes before walking to the cashier to pay. A couple of minutes, he went outside, pushing the glass doors with a bag filled with the said stationery.

"I'm sorry for making you wait." Seijuro grabbed the bags from his grip. "Let's go."

* * *

"We're back," Seijuro said when he arrived at the apartment as he took off his shoes and padded inside, placing his things on the table. But no one greeted him back. His red eyes sweep the room, finding no signs of either Kuroko or Kise. "Where are they?"

"Try looking at the gardens at the back. They're probably there." Kasamatsu took their lunch and went to the kitchen. "I'll prepare the food."

A nod and he went further inside the apartment. Sliding open the glass doors and slipping on a pair of sandals placed near the doors. Walking further deeper found both Kuroko and Kise, crouching beside each other. The former playing around with what little shadows there while the latter observed with fascination.

"There you are," Seijuro said. Both the blond and the teal head glanced back towards them. "Let's go back and have lunch."

"Alright." Kuroko released the shadows. Standing up while patting his clothes from imaginary dust.

"Seijurocchi! You know, Kurokocchi is amazing ssu! He made a little rabbit from the shadows and made it hop around! And he plucked a shadow right off the ground and-" Kise babbled on and on about Kuroko. Eyes shining with fascination as Seijuro raised an eyebrow at Kuroko.

The demon merely shrugged. As if already expecting this. _"He was nagging at me. I had no choice."_ Kuroko replied as he went inside.

"Kasamatsucchi! Can you peel off a puddle and making it into animals?" Kise bounded over to the water demon and helped him prepare the table. Telling him his experiences of watching shadows play around.

"Yeah." Kasamatsu placed four bowls of rice on the table and the food they bought on top of plates. Kise grabbed some chopsticks and put them besides the bowls. "Anybody could do that."

"Whoa, really? Then show me ssu!" Seijuro and Kuroko took their seats beside each other at the dining table as ruby and cerulean eyes followed the two others' movements.

Kasamatsu set down a jug of water and four glasses down before sitting himself across from Seijuro. Kise took a seat beside his own demon. "What do you mean show you? There's nothing impressive. It's just simple element manipulation."

"But I want to see," Kise whined. "Right, Seijurocchi?" He glanced at the crimson haired teen. The one mentioned gave him a nod. "I would also like to see."

A sigh. "Fine." Kasamatsu lifted his hand. Slightly flicking up his finger as four blobs of water rose up from the jug. They floated down while slowly morphing into a rabbit, a snake, a dog and a bird. They stood there, side by side before they made their way to stand beside each of their glasses. When they were in position, he snapped his fingers. That served as a cue for them to enter the clear tube-shaped glass. The rabbit hopped into Kuroko's glass, the snake slithered into Seijuro's, the dog jumped into Kise's, and the bird dived down into Kasamatsu's. Their forms destroyed as all four of the water animals splashed into the glasses.

"Happy? Let's just eat." Kasamatsu offered his prayers before eating his food, not bothering to wait for others' response. Kuroko following his example while Kise and Seijuro followed suit after they had gone through their fascination and amazement.

"That is called element manipulation." Kuroko began after a while, swallowing his food. Kise and Seijuro glanced at him while Kasamatsu continued to shove more food into his mouth. "An action in which one gathers the energies around to shape one's element. It's the simplest form of wielding and the easiest one."

"Ah, I studied about that. There are actually three kinds of wielding. Element manipulation, artes and spells, right?" Seijuro said, earning a nod from Kuroko.

Kasamatsu continued for his fellow Seirin member. "Element manipulation can be achieved with or without the source. What I did earlier is element manipulation with a source as I merely made the water in the jug move and change shapes. Element manipulation without source is like the one during the match where I materialized ice shards above you."

"Although, manipulating with a source is easier since you don't have to materialize your element first." Kuroko added.

"What about artes and spells?" Kise asked.

"Artes is more like imbuing your weapons or parts of your body with your element," Kasamatsu explained. "Or even changing their shapes. Like transforming your hand into tendrils. Although only demons could do it to that extent. Humans can only change their weapons."

"And spell are obvious. You string together incantations to unleash a fixed form of attack. Spells are the strongest and the most complicated ones from all three kinds of wielding, but it's the strongest as it deals massive damage." Kuroko sipped his water. "But depending on what your primary element is, one's attacks could be either stronger of weaker."

"Is it because of the element jurisdiction?" Seijuro asked since he remembered that particular info during one of the teacher's lectures.

"That's right." Kasamatsu answered.

"Element jurisdiction? What's that?" Kise was confused. No longer following the explanation.

A sigh. "Didn't they teach you that at school?" What Kasamatsu got from Kise is a sheepish smile. Figures. He probably fell asleep during class or daydreamed all day. "Alright, let's start over with the basics. You already know the tribe hexagon, right?" He heard the blond sounding an affirmative. "There are six tribes, and each one of them fell under either of the two jurisdictions."

"The jurisdictions are the sun and the moon. The fire, earth, and light tribes are under the sun's jurisdiction while water, wind, and fire under the moon's jurisdiction. We demons would usually refer the sun as sol and the moon luna." Kasamatsu explained further.

"What makes this crucial is that depending on the time of the day, the season or the weather, a demon can be either weakened or strengthened. Like right now, it's around midday, and the weather is sunny. In this time, demons under the sol jurisdiction are much stronger than demons under the luna jurisdiction."

"So, both you and Kurokocchi are weakened right now ssu?" Kise's query was accompanied with wide honey orbs.

"That's right. Your element is weakened as well while Seijuro's is strengthened. But if a demon had been contracted then their strength is determined by their wielder." Kasamatsu pointed out. "Did both of you notice we released our seals during the match?"

A nod from Seijuro but a shook of the head from Kise. "But I've seen Kasamatsucchi release his seals. Just not during the match two days ago."

"Depending on how many seals a wielder has broken, demons can freely release those seals to further strengthen themselves. Both of you must've felt the burst of energies when we release our's, right?"

"It was quite intense. Almost suffocating," Seijuro nodded. "And quite frightening as well. Especially when I saw how much destruction both of you caused in such a short amount of time."

"Well, lucky you, we Seirin demons have a policy of not mindlessly releasing our seals for the sake of fun. We only do that when the situation is dire." Kasamatsu continued eating.

Kuroko took over for Kasamatsu. "Continuing on from where Kasamatsu-san left off. We demons have nine seals. We do not know why must there be nine but one thing we know is that without the seals, no human who had contracted with a demon will survive. They'll instantly die in the most gruesome way possible."

"W-what?" Kise was shocked. He didn't know something like this.

"It's because humans aren't supposed to be able to sustain the demonic energies. That's why the seals are there, to prevent us humans from dying. As we human beings and demons weren't meant to be together and our worlds weren't supposed to be merged like this. The seals are as a safety precaution for us humans, they hold off a demon's energy as to not overwhelm us. We'll slowly break those seals as we get stronger. And wielding serves as a method for channeling the demonic energies that have mixed with our spiritual flow."

"That's right. As expected from Akashi-kun. You've studied well."

"I took wielding theories until the teachers couldn't teach me anything anymore. They even went so far as to quadruple my exam questions." Only to him. Because they ran out of teaching material. So to compensate, they increased the number of questions in his paper. And he didn't have to attend that particular class, so he wasted his time with reading the books in the library.

"So, if I don't use any of those three wielding methods, I'll die?" The blond was horrified from the information he got. "Do I have to occasionally release the excess energies?"

"If you think about it then yes. But that's where the jewels come into play. They stabilize the energies within, keeping balance." Seijuro sipped his water, washing away the after taste of his lunch.

"Right again. You should follow his example and study well." Kasamatsu said to his wielder as he stood up and picked up the dirty dishes. Proceeding with washing the dishes while Kise wipes them dry, complaining to his demon that he's not as smart as his fellow human. Seijuro and Kuroko helped out with tidying the dining table.

When all plates were washed and placed inside the cabinet, they went to sit in the gardens. Basking their skin with the warmth of the sun. "So, I guess this is the perfect time for me to be your tutor, right?"

Seijuro perked up when he heard that. "Ah, yes."

"Okay. First, your primary element is fire, right?" Kasamatsu asked. He got a nod as an answer. "Can you form any other elements?"

A shook of the head. "No, only soul flames. I can't even form regular fires."

The water demon was flabbergasted. "What?! Tell me you're just messing around."

"He's not lying." Kasamatsu whipped his head to Kuroko. The shadow demon's expression is still as flat as ever, but the tone of voice he used didn't betray him. Kuroko wasn't joking.

"Wha- Goodness..." Kasamatsu buried his face into his palms. What's with humans these days. They're getting more and more ridiculous and unexpected in the passing years.

"Is that a bad thing?" Crap, did he accidentally offend the red human?

"Kasamatsu-san failed to comprehend," Kuroko explained to his wielder. "Please do not take his actions to heart Akashi-kun. Even I was surprised when I first knew about this."

"What do you mean surprised? You barely even twitch." Seijuro deadpanned. Kuroko faced his problem with the expression of a brick wall, it was almost comical.

"No, I was quite surprised. You just didn't notice." The demon replied without missing a beat. "Everybody has a way of expressing their shock. I'm just better at hiding it than most."

"Whatever you say, stubborn demon." Seijuro huffed.

"Stubborn human."

"Alright, enough." Kasamatsu held out his hands to stop the two guests. "We'll continue with the lesson. Usually, I would teach you water elements, but since your element falls under Sol's jurisdiction, it would be easier for you to practice either earth or light elements first."

"Why?"

"It's easier. You'll be able to learn them faster than the elements under Luna's jurisdiction." Was the simple answer. "We'll start with earth elements first, light's a bit tricky. And since I'm not an earth demon, it better to have Kise teach you. You can use earth's secondary element, right?" The last one was directed to the blond.

"I can, but I'm still an amateur. Is that okay?" Kise was given a nod. Seijuro can't really be picky when he was given this opportunity. "Alright, wait here." He stood up and went to the corner of the garden where various types of gardening equipment were gathered, rummaging through the pile. "Let's see... Here it is. Catch!" he threw it at Seijuro.

On reflex, the red haired human caught the item, which turned out to be a bag of sunflower seeds. "Open it and grab one." Seijuro did just that. Tearing off the pack and took one as Kise brought two small pots with him, filled with soil.

"Earth element's secondary element is plants." He put the little pot in front of both of them. Sitting beside the red haired teen, he took the pack of seeds from Seijuro's hand "And unlike other elements, plants need something for it to attach itself to be it other objects or our own body parts ssu."

"But we'll be using soil. I can't risk us making the plants attach to our body parts when we're still amateurs." Kise must have meant that accident a year ago. Where a student practiced earth's secondary element all by herself at the forest behind the school without a teacher to keep watch.

She only had her demon with her who was not an earth demon and was confident in her ability since she could already form any plants with or without seeds. So she decided she could try to practice how to grow plants from her own body without telling anyone, just to impress her teachers, friends, and family. Her demon knew it was a bad idea and had warned her, but she didn't heed the warning and proceeds with the wielding. What happened next is something that would forever scar those who had seen it.

Seijuro remembered that day. He was on his way to the gym when that happened. The forest suddenly came to life as a shrill shriek of pain pierced the air. Nature turned vicious, the trees twisting and turning as if to annihilate all around them while the ground turned unstable, decorated with cracks that made some of them erect like a tower or collapse underneath.

To this day he didn't know what urged him to run towards the forest. Adrenaline coursing through his body as all he could see is the ever trashing forest and could only hear the scream of pain that only turned more inhumane with each passing second. But even though he was in a panicked state, he could still think straight as he took out his phone and called his brother, explaining the situation as the energies around were jumbled and out of control, making it hard to know the source. At the same time, he dragged the demon from the chaos, unconscious and mangled beyond recognition, an inch away from stepping to the other side.

Not even a moment later, his brother arrived, all three demons already summoned out as the younger of the two barked orders for him to call the teacher and nurses. Seijuro did so, and when he arrived back with some teachers and a lot of nurses, all was over. A bunch of students had surrounded the forest, but he rammed through all of them, desperate to make sure his brother is okay.

But what he saw was something so gruesome; the very sight of it was still etched in his mind, vivid as if he was brought back to that very moment.

His brother had crouched beside the female student, out of breath and bloodied with a few broken bones. The same could be said to his demons. But it was the state of the female that was worrying. He could barely even identify her, let alone call her a human anymore. Her skin was cracked, exposing wiggling wood underneath, replacing the flesh and muscles. The limbs had transformed into tendrils, long and thick as her hair looked more like roots, dry and rough. Her mouth oozed sap, and from her overall being, a putrid smell floated into the air. It was fortunate that both of them survived after around two months of intense care.

That incident was so horrifying that even mentioning it is taboo.

After that, the academy built more nurse offices so that at least two of them were at a building. Five nurses were stationed in each office. And teachers' rooms are separated. Each teacher has an office in a different building.

"Now let's see." He snapped back to reality when he heard Kise's voice. The blond took one seed and buried it in the soil of his pot. "The way you use plant elements is similar to any other element. Just gather the energies around to focus on the seed." Kise hovered one of his hand over where he buried the seed. Immediately after he did that, Seijuro could feel the energies around the limb shift and gather as the hand glowed. "Just keep a steady stream of energies flowing and let nature do its work."

Four pairs of eyes focused on the pot as the soil slightly moved, making way for a sprout to come out. Not a second later, a little green stem appeared along with small leaves. Until finally, a sunflower bloomed, smaller than the usual gigantic ones, but nonetheless still beautiful.

"As I said, just try to keep a steady stream of energies flowing. And each element has its own, uhh… how do you say it?" Kise's finger tapped the pot, trying to find the right words to describe what he was trying to explain. "Well, let's just say they have their own little 'ways.' So an element may need more or fewer energies than others. They vary from each person, but you just need to practice to get the hang of it."

The blond patted the still flowerless pot beside him. "Now you try it ssu."

Wordlessly, Seijuro pressed the seed into the soil, slightly petting it. Next, he gathered the energies. His hand glowing slightly as a result.

"Kasamatsu-san," Kuroko whispered. Nudging his fellow demon.

"What is it?" Kasamatsu replied. Eyes still focused on the pot Seijuro's hand was hovering over.

"Create a shield. Quick."

"Huh? What do you mean?" He could see Kuroko already forming a shield to protect himself and a protective orb that would immediately active if any harm would come to the red head's way.

"Just do it. The element could explode." And he was speaking from experience. He could still remember how Seijuro almost burned down the whole forest behind the mansion. He won't know what kind of damage could be caused this time, but it's better safe than sorry. "And make sure to protect Kise-kun, too."

"I don't know what you're getting at but alright." Kasamatsu formed a shield around both him and his wielder. The crystalline protection that appeared out of the blue made Kise jump slightly. But before Kise could inquire about it, the hand glowed brightly covering the whole garden.

All of them covered their eyes. Fearing for the worst. But when the light dissipated, all he could see was a puzzled Seijuro, sitting in front of the pot that only has a- uhh… what is that?

"HAHAHA! Oh My God! HAHAHA!" Kise fell on his back, clutching his stomach. "Sei- Seijurocchi w-what is that?"

"What the hell?! Kuroko, you said the element could explode! Not to make that, that THING appear!" Kasamatsu tried to stay mad at the teal head for making him worry for nothing, but the saddening sight of the pot made him fail as a smile would creep to his lips every now and then.

"How should I know? The last time he practiced wielding, he almost burned down a whole forest." Even Kuroko couldn't help the slight snigger.

And Seijuro could only stare at the pot with frustration. There was no sunflower on the pot. There wasn't any leaves or even a stem. The only thing that grew is the roots that bloomed out like a ball of fur. All frizzy and untamed and tiny. It was only the size of his thumb. And when a gust of wind suddenly blew, the ball of root was plucked away and flew towards the sky. Never to be seen.

This made Kise laugh even harder, rolling on the ground. His face was flushed as his honey orbs leaked. Kasamatsu finally couldn't contain it any further and let loose a string of guffaws while Kuroko gave his wielder a pat on the shoulder. Although he had to cover his mouth and look away from both Seijuro and the pot as he did his best to hold back his laugh. But he knew he was failing in doing so if the shaking limb was any indication.

Seijuro couldn't help the blush that bloomed all over his face. Knuckles shaking as he tried to suppress the embarrassment. Even nature seemed to be mocking him as the wind had too great of a timing. He really wished he could just up and vanish right at that moment or have the ground swallow him whole.

"S-Sei HAHA! Seijurocchi, Oh My God! HAHA! J-just t-try a-ag-again HAHAHA!" Kise struggled to say as he held out to him the pack of seeds. The hand shaking, almost dropping the package. "P-pra-practice m-makes perfect! HAHAHA!"

The red haired human snatched the pack, prompting the blond to laugh harder if that was possible. He ignored him as his hand picked a seed and buried it in the soil before gathering the energies again. Turning into a deaf man to the laughs around him. This time he gathered a lot more energies than the last time, making the seed grow at an alarming rate.

"Whoah!" All four of them were caught off guard as this time the sunflower grew around seven meters tall. Towering over them and breaking the pot as the roots alone covered the whole garden. But what made the plant abnormal is the sheer size of it. One could mistake it as a full grown tree with the stem that looked more like a trunk and leaves the size of blankets. Good thing the flower bend its trunk, so it did not crash into someone's balcony.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Kasamatsu peeled himself from whatever was beneath him, which turned out to be a squished teal haired demon. Kuroko was glad he could breathe again.

"Seijurocchi. Did you use a fistful of the seeds?" Kise asked, staring at the sheer height of the flower.

"No. I only used one." The one being asked answered meekly. "I just tried to gather more energies to the seed."

"We should cut the flower head and let it dry," Kuroko said as he sat up. His little statement made all three pairs of eyes stare at him. "What? We could eat the seeds or even sell them."

"Let's just clean this mess first before thinking about the harvesting." Kasamatsu stood up and maneuvered his way in the sea of roots. A hand forming an ice sword.

* * *

"I guess it's time for me and Kuroko to go home." Seijuro said as he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Their needle hands told him it was already nine pm as outside, the sky had darkened, welcoming both the moon and the stars.

"What? Already?" Kise asked. The blond not realizing the time at all.

"Yes. Kuroko and I need to go now if we want to catch the train." He began, packing his things.

"Can't you just stay here?" Kise whined, but he still closed his notebook and tidied up his desk. "I have a spare room ssu."

A shook of the head. "I can't. We have school tomorrow, and I didn't bring my uniform here." He stood up and slung the bag over his shoulder. "We'll see each other at school."

"Okay." The blond stood up and grabbed a ring of keys, walking towards the door while Kuroko and Seijuro put on their shoes. The latter helping the former in that activity.

"Then I'm off. Thank you for today." Both of them bowed before making their way outside. But Seijuro only took around three steps before he stopped and walked back towards Kise. "I almost forgot." The redhead opened his bag and rummaged through its contents until he pulled out a plastic bag. Kasamatsu was quick to identify the plastic bag to be the same one he saw at the bookstore earlier that day.

"This is for you." He held it out in front of Kise. The blond took the offered item and peeked inside it. "Those are markers, sticky notes, highlighters, and a notebook. Make sure to mark your notes with the highlighters or markers, use the sticky notes to remind yourself of any important stuff or events and the notebook to write down any materials you don't understand. I'll be sure to tutor you again or even come over again like this if both of us have the time." Seijuro said. But seeing as Kise didn't answer, he added. "Well, that is if you want. I won't force y-"

"Yes! Please do!" Kise gave the red head a bear hug. A laugh escaped his lips, clear as a bell's chime.

"Alright. Just set the time and place like yesterday. I'll come and tutor you again." Seijuro pushed Kise back. "And I'm glad I get to see a real smile on your face."

"Wha-"

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again for today." And he promptly turned his back on him, walking towards the elevator while chatting with Kuroko about the fastest was to the train station. Arguing about going through the park or passing in front of the sushi restaurant.

"He's interesting." Kasamatsu chuckled, folding his arms in front of his chest as he saw both of their guests walk to the end of the corridor. "But he's right. Even after being contracted by you all this time, I've only ever seen you smile like that today."

A soft chuckle. "I guess you're right. I've forgotten what it means to laugh and forget about all my problems until just now."

* * *

The center gym of Teiko Academy was crowded, packed with both students and teachers alike as they chatted with each other. The morning assembly had made them gather inside the building today. All of them standing in a line based on their class and gender as more and more students filled the gym, making the overall air suffocating if not for the twenty or so air conditioners that blasted cool air there.

"Good morning to all of you." The principal's voice reverberated off the walls, the chatters stopped. "Today's assembly is held on behalf of a special announcement."

Principal Sanada adjusted the mic before continuing. "As all of you may know, last Friday we held a special match to determine a student's rank. And it brings me much joy to see that the match was an astounding one. Both students and their demons fought well, displaying skillful movements and wielding."

The man in front let the gym explode with whispers, letting them increase in volume as they discussed the match amongst themselves. That is until lightning struck the air. A ticked off Masako-Sensei was the culprit. Principal Sanada ignored this and continued. "In light of that event, I would like to call for Akashi Seijuro along with his demon to come up the stage."

All eyes focused on the redhead who separated himself from the rows of students and made his way to the stage. As he walked, all who was present saw Seijuro's shadow shift. It moved, peeling itself from the floor and walked beside the student. A second later, the shadow particles dispersed to reveal the teal haired demon who stood beside the human. Blanked faced as ever.

Another student ascended the stairs of the stage. It was Seishuro who held a tray covered with a red velvet cloth. On the said tray is something small, too small for the ruby pools to identify, but they do not need to see it for the owner to know what it is. The student council president walked until he stood beside the principal who had moved to stand in front of the podium.

The man plucked a badge from its velvety bed and proceeds with attaching it to Seijuro's left collar. When he was done, Seijuro marveled the badge, but something was wrong. "Principal Sanada."

"Is something the matter?" Seishuro descended the stairs and walked away from the stage.

"There must be a mistake." He pointed to the small symbol of the academy that clung to his collar. "This badge is gold."

"It is." The man nodded, not giving him a satisfying answer. In contrast, it only served to make it even more confusing.

"But I'm promoted to A-rank I'm supposed to be given a silver one." Seijuro decided to explain further, to just get to the heart of the problem. He was sure Principal Sanada had made a mistake.

A chuckle. "Did you forget my offer? I remembered I said that if you win or showed exceptional results, I'll promote you to A-rank." He was given a nod. "But you showed both. You more than deserved that."

"W-wha. But-" The teen sputtered as he scrambled for a reply. It was out of character for him, but in the shock of the moment, his mind was now jumbled.

"It brings me great joy to announce that another student has joined the S-ranks." The principal had positioned himself back at the podium, clearly enjoying the sight of his flustered student. "Please give a round of applause for Akashi Seijuro."

Claps resounded as out of nowhere confetti exploded, raining the gym with tiny pieces of papers and long sparkly ones. There were cheers, and Kise's were the loudest one as the blond jumped and whistled like there's no tomorrow. Beside him, Kuroko pushed the back of his head down, forcing him to bow alongside him. And when he had straightened himself, a large smile that threatened to rip his face in half showed itself. Finally realizing that it's not a dream.

He's an S-rank. There's nothing more he could've asked.

* * *

"A glass of orange juice, a slice of cheesecake and a strawberry parfait." Seijuro recited what he had scribbled on his notes. Repeating the orders and making sure he had them right.

A male and a female -who Seijuro suspect is a couple- nodded their heads, confirming the orders. "Then please wait until your orders have arrived." He bowed a little as he collected the menu and went straight to the kitchen. Pushing the double doors and sticking the paper to the metal wall with a piece of magnet.

"Hey, Sei." The one being called whipped his head to the source of the voice. A teen with wide eyes and brown hair approached him, carrying a tray with a plate of fried rice and a bowl of beef stew on top of it.

"Furihata. Is something the matter?"

"Well, yeah." The brunette named Furihata said. "Koganei-san asked you to show the rookie the ropes."

The information made him blink. "A rookie? Did we hire someone?"

"Yeah. He's in the changing room. How about you go there. I'll cover for you here." The teen suggested.

"Alright. Thanks." And he wasted no time to walk towards the mentioned room. Dress shoes bringing him to the back as a pale hand rapped the metal doors when he stood in front of it.

"Excuse me." Seijuro cracked opened the metal slab, which made it creak eerily from the slight rust. But he was not offered any response from the supposed newbie, it was quiet. This made those crimson eyes scan the dim room before the corners of his eyes caught some movement at the end of the lockers. A soft thud could be heard as the rustle of clothes entered his ears.

'He must be there.' He thought as he closed the door softly behind him. Feet walking towards to where he heard and saw the person was. "Hello?" He asked again. Honestly, this made him feel like he was in a haunted house and a not changing room.

"Oh, Akashi-kun." The person there was Kuroko who was in the middle of buttoning his dress shirt. The demon struggling to slip the small flat circle into the tiny slit.

"Kuroko? What are you doing here?" Seijuro's eyebrows disappeared behind his hair, puzzled because the demon was here instead of waiting outside at his favorite tree. Standing here instead of sitting on a thick branch and watching the people below. It's Kuroko's favorite pass time and his very own means to kill time. And being cooped up in one place was something the demon detested.

"I got recruited." Kuroko answered, not explaining any further. In fact, it only made things more confusing.

"What do you mean recruited?" The human finally moved to help the demon button the shirt as Kuroko tucked it into his pants.

"Koganei-san asked me to work here after he saw me play eat the last dumpling with Kise-kun." He grabbed the waistcoat and put it on, able to button up this one since the black circles are larger than the ones on his shirt. "He said that rather than waiting for you and doing nothing, it's better to help out here. And I'll get paid."

Seijuro took the black tie and stood behind his demon. "And you just agreed?" It was not a question, but rather a statement. He saw the demon nod as he looped the long strip of fabric around Kuroko's neck. "What made Koganei-san recruit you?"

"I don't really know myself." Those cerulean eyes watched the human's hands expertly twist the tie. It was now slowly turning into the same shape as the one that hung from Seijuro's neck. "But I think I heard him say something along the lines of 'we could use another extra hand.' and 'add the mochi game to the challenge section.'"

"Well, that sounds just like him." An exasperated sigh slipped out from his lips as he stood in front of his demon to pull up the tie, tucking it under the waistcoat.

"He said I could have the same day off as you." The tie was too tight, it was choking him. He made an attempt to pull it, but his hands were slapped away as Seijuro adjusted it for him. "So please make sure you keep me visible."

"I know." Seijuro released the tie. "Then come with me. I'll show you the ropes."

They walked out of the changing rooms, Seijuro blabbering about how to serve people, take their orders, and so on while Kuroko listened with rapt attention. Nodding and asking questions every now and then as Seijuro answered to the best he can. After a while, he was given a little note and a pen to take the customers orders.

"Be polite and make sure to double check the orders. When you're going to serve the orders, look at the number of the tray and match them to the number on the table. Don't make them wait any longer than necessary. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Then go and take the orders of that table over there." Seijuro pointed at a table where two girls sat. "Take two menus from the cashier."

The demon did so, taking two menus as he passes by the cashier. Seijuro focused his gaze on the teal head as he stood at the table. "I apologize for the wait." He heard Kuroko said, the two females jump at suddenly having a waiter appear there. Them asking when he got there. "I have just arrived," Kuroko said his response as he gave the two the menus. "May I take your orders?" The note and pen held gingerly in his hands.

"Y-yes. I would like a glass of vanilla milkshake and a slice of red velvet."

"And I'll order a cup of coffee and a slice of cheesecake."

The hand scribbled the orders quickly, the waiter unconsciously nodding as he did that. "Let me repeat your orders. A glass of vanilla milkshake, a slice of red velvet, a cup of coffee and a slice of cheesecake."

"That's right."

"Then please wait for your orders." He collected the menus and went to where Seijuro was, at the cashier. Typing at the keyboards and giving a fellow waiter the changes.

"Back already. What did they order?" Kuroko told him the orders. "Pastries. Let's go to the kitchen. I'll make the drinks and slice the cakes for you. I'll teach you how to after we close the cafe."

And everything went smoothly. There were no mixed orders or unexpected accidents happening. Everyone made sure Kuroko is to only take orders and serve, leaving the makings of the food and drinks to the other more experienced waiters.

But for the most part, Kuroko couldn't do any of that as he was called to play games with the customers. The newly added eat the last mochi was a popular hit as it also served as entertainment for the whole cafe. They would secretly place bets and cheer for their chosen players. Oohs and aahs would resound every now and then, gasps were heard every time the mochi was flung up the air, and claps and whistles along with grumbles of defeat would explode the moment the winner was decided, which is Kuroko, he won all of them.

And when it was time to go home, Kuroko was lugging around a bag of cash. Enough money that could easily buy him a bicycle and set him a couple of appointments with the dentist.

* * *

It was night time when they arrived back at the mansion. Both Seijuro and Kuroko had just finished showering as now the fox was sitting on the window sill and staring at the sky while the human busy with solving the problems on his homework.

It was peaceful. The silence that hung above them felt comfortable as the overall atmosphere warm. The presence of each other inside the room was more than adequate.

A string of knocks to the door broke the serene silence that befell the occupants. Both Kuroko and Seijuro stood up from their respective seats. The redhead approaching the wooden door while Kuroko took his usual place, perched on his wielder's shoulder.

Seijuro gripped the handle and cracked open the door. Standing in front of him is a maid and a butler. The maid is in her late twenties with flowing black hair tied into a strict bun atop her head and hazel eyes framed with a pair of glasses. The butler beside her is in his fifties, apparent from the white strands of hair that had mixed in with his soft chestnut ones. The man's onyx eyes were squinted as him along with the maid had a smile playing on their lips.

He quickly pulled them inside, shutting the door immediately after.

"Yuko-san, Narumi-san! What are you doing here?" He asked in apparent confusion as panic started to settle in his mind. "Both of you will lose your job if my father knows of this."

"Calm down master." The butler, Narumi chuckled. Placing his hands on his shoulder before quickly retracting them when he felt something soft. "Goodness! if it isn't Kuroko-san. A pleasure to meet you." The man bowed slightly.

 _"Likewise."_ The fox bowed his head. _"I believe I saw you during the dinner."_ He was referring to the disastrous dinner that ended up with a semi-destroyed dining room.

"Indeed."

"Enough with the chit-chat. I need both of you to escape." Seijuro cut off the pleasantries.

"We won't get caught." Narumi answered.

"What do you mean you won't get caught? There are CCTV's everywhere in this mansion." He started rummaging his closet. "Father may not be here at the moment, but that does not mean his men won't check the recordings and report to him." The teen found what he searched for and pulled out a rope ladder. Kuroko couldn't help but marvel at how something like that could find its way there.

The maid approached them. "He's right. We won't get caught."

"I cannot believe at such nonsense without proof." Seijuro stubbornly said. Opening the window and tying the ends of the rope to his bed's feet, wanting to throw the rope out of the window.

Already knowing this would happen, both servants couldn't help the exasperated sigh that slipped off their breaths as their lips curved upwards ever so slowly. The young master never changes. Always worrying about them and not himself. Showing kindness that knows no bounds, having eyes that see them all as equal. "This is our proof." The maid finally pulled out a letter from her pocket. It was slightly wrinkled, but the wax seal at the back of the envelope was still intact. Proudly showing off the family's crest.

He blinked before taking the offered letter and moving towards his desk, pulling out a small envelope opener. He let the little blade run below the wax, slowly loosening the flap until it opened. A hand fished out the piece of paper inside.

"Read it out loud, master." The maid excitedly said, the butler nodding in support of the idea.

"Alright." Seijuro opened the letter and began to read it out loud. " _'To my son, Akashi Seijuro.'_ " That's a surprise. There are no useless or pathetic or any other derograting titles etched to his name. " _'I congratulate you on your promotion to S-rank. On behalf of that, I would like to bestow upon you certain privileges:'_ " He stopped reading at the word privileges. Ruby eyes directed their gazes to the servants who gestured for him to continue. Even Kuroko nudged his head with a paw for him to keep reading.

" _'1. You are free to use the kitchen on the first floor to your heart's content. I will remove the time limit._

 _2\. You are free to utilize the library. The key is inside this letter._

 _3\. You may enter the hot springs._

 _4\. You may enter the gardens and use it to practice earth element wielding._

 _5\. I assigned both Yuko Misaki and Narumi Seta to be your personal servants._

 _That is all. If you are to get demoted, I will immediately take back those privileges._

 _Akashi Masaomi.'_ "

"Isn't that great master!" Yuko cheered. "You have more freedom now!"

But the teen didn't respond. His body ramrod straight as his eyes dilated, hands shook, and fingers curled, slowly wrinkling the paper. The fox on his shoulder tried to get his attention, brushing his tail against his elbow and tapping at the cheek. Neither of those worked and by now, the servants had approached him.

"Master, is something the matter?"

"Oh no! Did he not want us as his servants? Did he not like the surprise? What should we do?"

 _"Akashi-kun?"_

Moments later his shoulders shook as a hand hid away his eyes. Tears leaked and escaped from the spaces between his fingers as he turned so that his back was facing the two servants. Kuroko chose that time to leap of his shoulder and revert to his human form. The teal head stood beside the maid and butler, staring at the teen that now looked more like a lost child. All three of them let the redhead release it all for they knew the soft sobs that wracked that body were not of sadness but the opposite.

Because this boy who lived in a mansion where no one's waiting for him, surrounded by people but was forcibly shunned, condemned for faults that he has no control of, was being recognized.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. So, about this chapter... Oh My God! I don't know what I just typed! Goodness, it's all jumbled and messy and dear lord, I don't know!

Sorry for freaking out like that, but I'm dead serious here. This chapter feels like it lacks something. But I just can't seem to know what it is. It may have something to do with this disastrous month I had. The world seems so focused on making my life harder than it already is. Oh well, I should stop and just hope that you guys had fun reading this chapter. I added a little bit of training session and gave you a picture of how dangerous wielding is. And I also added a lot of other things too.

And I definitely did not plan for that ending! Blame my fingers! They have a mind of their own!

Anyway, on to the reviews!

~Rinfantasy: Oh they're similar and at the same time so very different from each other. They're siblings after all. I decided to add little quirks to each character, just to give them more characterization. How many Seirin games Kuroko won in the past? Haha, I really don't know, but he definitely win some and lose some. And I had so much fun poking around with the last chapter so I got a bit carried away and ended up typing extra omakes. I'll type more omakes if I feel that the chapter is fun.

~Hyuann: Thank you! May God bless you too for your hard work! Nah, I don't think you're exaggerating. Sometimes life decided to mess around and gives us a ton of shit just to make things more difficult. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. And I'm really glad I could brighten your week with my fic. It made my heart all warm. Thank you! Last chapter is more like a filler, so I made it all light and fun to read since the chapters before that were all intense and stuff. Yeah, the mochi match is a bit -a lot- ridiculous but it's Kuroko, nothing's normal when it comes to him XD. And the wifi password was inspired from a funny meme I found a long time ago.

~MyEternalNightmares: I know! I did the reading thing too, but I tell my friends the pages like 'try page 100 to 120.' Thank you! Glad you like my own version of Kuroko.

~Kirika 07: Thank you so much! I'm sorry for my slow updates. I'll try to update faster in the future. Kuroko doesn't like modern clothes because he's old. But I know what you're getting at, traditional clothes does suit him perfectly. Oh! A half fox Kuroko! Haha! I'll be sure to add that scene in the later chapters if you want. Well, last chapter is all light and fun so I viewed it as more of a filler. But I guess every intense battle should have that kind of fun chapters. Hehe. The password omake was inspired by a funny meme I found a long time ago. Thanks for reading!

~Eru: Thank you! The password omake was inspired by a funny meme I found a long time ago. I'm glad I made you laugh.

~DJ Candy: Hello! I'm also here for the long ass response XD. Kuroko has atrocious bed hair, so since he's a fox, I made him turn into a fluffball. It was cute until he opened his eyes and scared the crap out of Seijuro. Yeah, I added a little back story to Kise and Kasamatsu just to explore their characters more. And I always see him as the guy who would tackle people (he's like that in canon too.), so I made it a bit comical by adding little 'incidents' as a result of those hugs. I think Seijuro needs to make an appointment with a doctor.

Sure you can! Ask Kasamatsu to drill an icicle through their skull. Though if that really happens, this story will immediately end since the main characters are dead...

The games from the cafe *is* inspired by Kaichou Wa Maid Sama! The idea popped into my head out of nowhere. If you're good at rhythm games, then I suggest you play the two I mentioned in the last chapter. Those rhythm games are nothing to joke around. And Kuroko's character is a bit dark in this fic, but I kind of toned it down just so it would be somewhat more similar to his canon counterpart.

Kuroko is always cunning, even in the anime/manga. And his win-win solution is more like he found a way to solve both problems with a single method. (killing two birds with one stone? did I type it right?). Kise was desperate, and he idolized the members of Seirin so of course he's excited!

I made Kasamatsu a bit lacking in the common sense department just like how I made Kuroko behind the times. It was to give them little quirks to add more characterization. The rant about Seijuro 'forgetting his roots' is expected, but I still can't resist typing it up. And the password idea is inspired by a funny meme I found a long time ago. Set your wi-fi password to the one in the last chapter and let the mayhem begin! (I trolled my friends with a different password, and they looked as if they wanted to skin me alive *rotfl*)

If I made Seijuro ridiculously OP, that'd make him a mary sue (?). And I don't like overly perfect characters, they're too far out of reach to the readers. I'll explain all about the tribes and the war in the later chapters. It won't be fun anymore if I spill all the information now. And you're right, the scenes just won't stay still. Inspiration and ideas kept on coming and messing around with the flow of the story. It's a dilemma...

I made the fight all hopeless on purpose just to make Kuroko's strength and Seijuro's hard work more prominent. So I'm not surprised if you didn't expect much from Seijuro, it was actually my intention.

Yes, I was talking about the NG's. I'm just used to call them bloopers. The NG's actually inspired me to make the omakes. Because even the original artist wanted to make a fool out of his own characters, what's to say I'm not itching to do so too?

Ohhh a history nerd. I'm actually a nerd myself but more of a mythology and literature nerd. I'm always fascinated with myths and stories and would sometimes read about them on the internet. Yeah, I also view America as this one country that's a bit more extra than the other countries in the world.

Thanks! I'll add the omake in a chapter. I'll just have to find out which one... Kise defected? Huh, I don't think so. He could do whatever he wants. It's more like 'I do my thing and you do your thing' relationship. And yes, they make up the S-ranks. (it's kind of obvious.)

#

That's all for the reviews! And for those who were wondering about Kise's math problem, I have the question and answers down here!

 _The sum of three numbers is 98. The ratio of the first to the second is 2/3, and the ratio of the second to the third is 5/8. The second number is:_

 _Solution:_

 _Let the three numbers be x, y and z._

 _Sum of the numbers is 98._

 _x + y + z = 98…(i)_

 _The ratio of the first to the second is 2/3._

 _x/y = 2/3._

 _x = 2/3 × y._

 _x = 2y/3._

 _The ratio of the second to the third is 5/8._

 _y/z = 5/8._

 _z/y = 8/5._

 _z = 8/5 × y._

 _z = 8y/5._

 _Put the value of x = 2y/3 and z = 8y/5 in (i)._

 _2y/3 + y + 8y/5 = 98_

 _49y/15 = 98._

 _49y = 98 × 15._

 _49y = 1470._

 _y = 1470/49._

 _y = 30 ._

 _( www .math -only -math Math -Problem -Answers .html Math -Problem -Answers .html (*remove the spaces in between*))_

Guess that's it. Thanks again for those who had read, reviewed, and clicking on the follow and/or favorite button. I apologize for any misspellings or any grammatical errors you may find in this fic. Have a great day!

* * *

Omake 1 - Senile

"What is that?" Kasamatsu asked when he saw a thick piece of folded paper that Kuroko held.

"This?" He unfolded it. "It's a map of the area."

"You used a map?" Kasamatsu gingerly took the paper and read it. "Why not use a GPS?"

"Gee pee ass?"

"GPS. It's like a modern-day map."

"Akashi-kun doesn't have that. So I had to read the map. The letters are too small." Kuroko said.

"That's not a problem for us, right? We can do this." Kasamatsu changed his eyes to that of an animal's. Those bluish gray pools are now slitted.

Kuroko froze.

"You forgot."

Kuroko stayed silent.

"HAHAHA!" Kasamatsu ruffled those soft blue locks. "Goodness. Kuroko, you've gone senile!"

"I can say the same about you."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"When Akashi-kun and I asked for water, you can just conjure a blob of water in an ice glass."

This time it was Kasamatsu who stayed silent.

"You've gone senile Kasamatsu-san."

"RRAGRH!"

"OW! Kasamatsucchi! Why did you kick me all of a sudden! I didn't do anything!"

"Shut up! I need something to Kick!"

"Kuroko! What did you do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Akashi-kun."

* * *

Omake 2 - Which way?

"I suggest we walk through the park, passing the obnoxious brightly colored candy shop and take a turn at the second block," Kuroko said. "The train station is just a five-minute walk after that."

The human beside him shook his head. "No. We should immediately go west towards where the sushi shop. We could buy dinner on the way home and cross the bridge to get to the station."

"No. Sushi is expensive and could hardly be called dinner. If we follow my route, we could stop at a ramen shop along the way and bring home some ramen for dinner. It's faster that way."

"No. That route will only take us further away from the station." Seijuro rummaged his bag for the map and pulled it out. Each of them held one end of the map -Kuroko held the left side, Seijuro the right.- "See, this is your route." His finger traced the road on the map. "And this is my route." He now traced his. Kuroko's route is longer than Seijuro's.

"But you forgot that there's a construction site here." Kuroko pointed at a particular spot. "They closed the road."

"No. It'll be open. There's a sign that says the construction will be done in three hours. They're definitely finished by now, and the road is opened again."

"There's no guarantee. If the road is still under construction, we'll have to round the corner and take this path." Kuroko traced the path he mentioned. "That'll waste our time, and we'll miss our train. If that happens, we'll have to wait for an hour for the next train. And you haven't done your homework."

"I've done my homework. You just fell asleep when I was doing so."

"If you say so. But I don't want to spend sixty minutes doing nothing because we missed that iron snake transportation."

"If that happens we could eat somewhere first and come back later."

"As if you brought that much money."

"I brought enough. You don't eat much and neither do I. We won't spend that much money on food."

"...The foods nowadays are all strange." Kuroko mumbled.

"I saw a restaurant that sells deep fried eel here." He pointed at a road on the map. "How about we eat the- Ow!"

A bang was heard and Seijuro fell back on his bum, rubbing his head.

"Akashi-kun, wha- Ack!" A second bang and Kuroko was on the floor, clutching his head as he withered in pain on the floor. "It wasn't there before..."

"I know. The wall appeared out of nowhere." Seijuro could feel a bump forming. "Why?" He hit the wall like a mother would when scolding their children.

"You should hit it harder and rip the map for making things more complicated," Kuroko said, still on the floor. "What is wrong with today? The only good thing that happened today is the root ball you made."

"No. That was the worst. I w-"

"Did they just blamed a wall?" Kise asked Kasamatsu as he saw both Kuroko and Seijuro stand up at the end of the corridor, recovering from the unexpected 'impact', still trading words with each other. "You said Kurokocchi is a member of Seirin, right?"

"Yeah. But now I'm starting to second-guess my own memory." Kasamatsu said with a poker face. "And I'm also having a hard time believing that Seijuro got first place in academics."

"I know. I fear for my grades now ssu."

* * *

Omake 3 - Too Much...

"Damn it! I lost!" A frustrated customer said as he got defeated by the waiter in front of him.

"Better luck next time. Please pay the fee for the game." Kuroko's palm was slapped with the money. "Thank you for playing a game with me." He bowed and collected the plate and chopsticks.

The demon's feet brought him to the kitchen where he placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

"Good job with the games!" A fellow waiter by the name of Kawahara -if he remembered the name correctly- said. He slapped Kuroko's back. "Another customer reque- Hey! Where are you going?"

Kuroko didn't answer the question nor did he stop or turn around to look over his shoulders. He needs to get out of there, quick. Before the unwanted happens.

He ran, urging for his feet to go faster. So focused on placing his foot in front of the other as fast as he could, he didn't realize that he almost crashed into Seijuro if the redhead didn't plaster himself to the wall.

"Kuroko?" A worried Seijuro let himself follow his demon, seems like he went to the back of the cafe where the dumpster is located.

And when he arrived there, his ruby eyes saw the demon hunched over a pile of trash. In the midst of emptying his stomach, heaving and coughing violently.

"Kuroko? Did something happen?" Seijuro asked, rubbing the small back.

"Too... much." The teal head paused his vomiting for a while.

"Too much?" The human furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding. But then he widened his eyes, he knew why Kuroko is like this. "Did you get nauseous for eating too much mochi?"

A miserable nod served as his answer along with a cough.

Seijuro can't help but laugh. "Serves you right for laughing at me yesterday."

Kuroko gave his wielder a glare before he quickly turned his head back and vomited again.

"And don't you think you can be excused from taking the customers' challenges. A lot of them wants to play eat the last mochi against you. Can't disappoint them, right?"

Kuroko's predicament made him remember when he first worked at the cafe. Customers demanding to play rhythm games against him. His hands were cramped for around a week because of that. It was always like that. The new waiter will have to go through this 'rite of passage' when they employ there.

Kuroko's going to have a long day ahead of him.

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used, they belong to their respective owners.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - First Mission

Today is the same old ordinary day. No one could doubt that.

It's still the same old boring days. The sky still blue, the clouds still floating about, the sun still shining. People still doing their everyday activities, the road still as noisy as ever. Everything's perfectly fine, perfectly normal. And it was true for one Akashi Seijuro -well, as normal as it could get for a wielder like him. He's still going to school, still listening to the lectures, still donning his uniform, still making sure his demon stayed out of trouble.

That is until the intercom came into life, calling out his name along with Kise's

At the sound of the calling, the teacher excused both of them, letting them go as they tidied up their desks and opened the sliding doors of the class. Walking through a couple of long corridors until they came in front of a door with the plate 'Principal's Office' on it.

The blond beside him flicked his head towards it, a gesture for him to knock. And he did so, rapping his knuckles on the smooth surface three times before a muffled "come in" was heard. It was his cue to open the door and enter. Seijuro did so with the other teen following behind him.

None of them knew that something unexpected would happen there.

"Did you call for us, Principal?" He heard Kise ask the man who sat at the table. Fingers neatly intertwined as another teen, this one with green hair and thick rimmed glasses, twisted his body to face them.

"Yes. Please have a seat." Kise closed the door and sat on one of the empty chairs on either side of the other teen already there. Seijuro copied his actions and settled himself on the last seat.

"Now, before I explain anything, can I ask all three of you to summon your demons?" All three students wordlessly obeyed. Each of them touched their demonic jewel with a finger imbued with spiritual energy. Moments later, wisps of elemental particles shot out from the accessories, gathering behind them.

From the earring, Kasamatsu appeared, looking at his surroundings in attempts to try to recognize the place. From the necklace, Kuroko materialized in all his stoic faced glory, staring at his own wielder and the principal. From Midorima's ring, green particles shot out to compress, revealing a demon with jet black hair and gray eyes. He had an overall friendly air around him as a bright grin showed itself on his face when the particles dissipated.

"Shin-chan! You never summon me at this time. What's up?" The demon gave a jolly laugh as he leaned forward to the side of Midorima's face. The easy going attitude a contrast to the stiff one in front of him.

"The principal would like to discuss something with us, nanodayo. Pay attention." Midorima gripped his lucky item, a goose egg, tighter. It's a habit he unconsciously did when irritated.

"Oh." He said with wonder. "So what's it about? Are these guys here to listen in too?" He eyed the yellow and red humans.

"You'll know if you just shut up," Kasamatsu grumbled, looking annoyed as if he didn't want to be in the same room as the cheerful one.

"Yu-chan! It's been a while!" The demon put an arm on the water demon's shoulder and leaned on him. "Do you know anything about the discussion?"

"I would've if you keep your mouth shut and pay attention," Kasamatsu stressed out, pushing him away.

"Yes. You should be quiet, Takao-kun." Came Kuroko's response to Midorima's demon. "Honestly, you never change after all these years."

When he heard the voice, Takao whirled his body, so he was facing the general direction of the source of that soft monotone voice. What greeted him is the sight of a teal haired demon, still all stoic and expressionless like the last time he remembered. This made his breath hitch as those light gray eyes dilated, not believing his own sight. He approached, hands rose and gripped Kuroko's shoulders.

"T-Tet-chan!" He exclaimed as he shook Kuroko, confirming that the small demon is really there. "For the love of the kings! Where were you? We've been looking EVERYWHERE! Did you know how worried we were? Like fuc-freaking worried! I almost went bat sh-lost my sanity! Why did you hide from us? We promised, right? Do you hate us?"

"Oi! Let him go! He's gonna puke!" Kasamatsu pried away Kuroko from the death grip. "Calm down!"

"How the hell can I calm down!? Tet-chan's here! And I bet you know of this! You knew Tet-chan returned and you didn't bother to tell me!" Now it was Kasamatsu's turn to get all dizzy from Takao's lightning speed shoulder shake. "You shi-goddamn demon! There isn't supposed to be any secrets between us Seirin members!"

"Wah! Kasamatsucchi!" Kise stood up from his seat and tried to pry away Takao's hands. "Hey, stop it!" But the demon didn't even bat an eyelash as he ignored the blond in favor of spewing complaints to the water demon. All the while the green haired teen was struggling to keep his outburst in check.

But Midorima's patience was running thin, and he finally had enough of the foolishness.

"Takao!" He finally snapped at his demon. He stood up and with annoyance apparent in his face, threw his lucky item at the hyperventilating demon behind him.

The egg sailed the air as it spun. Seconds later, the oval sphere made contact with Takao's face and went splat. The demon not expecting this lost his footing and fell on the floor. Kasamatsu followed suit as the grip was released. He withered on the ground, a hand covered his mouth to prevent it from expelling disgusting bile.

"Kasamatsucchi! Are you okay? Hang in there! Don't puke here ssu!" Kise rammed the door and dragged his demon from the principal's office, probably to the men's restroom as Kasamatsu's face was turning to the shade similar to Midorima's hair. His cheeks had ballooned as all could predict that the bile was just inches away from escaping the lips. Kise had better hurry.

When all was calm again, Midorima stood up and bowed. "I apologize for my demon's behavior."

"No. It's quite alright." The principal waved off. Behind the bespectacled teen, the demon was in the middle of wiping away the egg yolk from his face. A disgusted look showed itself when he saw the insides of the egg all slimy and gooey. The smell also didn't help as the egg was actually rotten.

Midorima gave a nod and sat back down, deciding to remain there and wait for the others. But unbeknownst to him, his own demon had other plans for him. Being the mischievous one, Takao cupped a handful of the sticky yolk and sneak up behind his human. When he was close enough, the egg was slapped to Midorima's face.

"TAKAO!" The human roared as he chased the demon while the one being chased laughed out loud, running across the corridor towards the men's restroom.

The discussion will have to wait for all of them to return. Seijuro had left the room immediately after Takao released Kuroko.

* * *

Around half an hour later found all three students and their demons sitting back in the office. Although some of them had changed their clothes and were wearing their P.E gears rather than their uniform. But Principal Sanada didn't particularly care. He had to brief them on the mission, and that is more important than a couple of students not wearing the issued uniforms. Although he noted that one demon, the one who caused the chaos earlier, was being discriminated as the other two 'victims' stood a little ways from Midorima's demon. Favoring to stand near the bookshelves than behind their respective wielders.

"Now that all of you are here, I can finally begin with the discussion." Principal Sanada said. His hand pulled the drawer on his table and took out a rather thick, brown document. He opened it and placed the insides on the table, facing the students. "I will be assigning all three of you along with your demons to a mission. The objective is to capture a group of thieves." All three leaned forward to read the file.

"Reports stated that they have a shadow demon who always allows them to escape. And the fact that they only operate at night just made said demon more powerful." He explained, unbothered that his students were more focused to the papers than him. "You will go to the location in the file tonight and capture the criminals _alive._ " He stressed out the word alive. "The police would like to interrogate them."

"Excuse me." A voice interrupted the principal.

"Yes, Mr. Akashi."

"I'm a little confused." The red haired teen admitted as he leaned back in his chair. "What do you mean by a mission? Why would the Academy assign teenagers like us? We're merely students, right?" Because for all he knows, he didn't sign up for this when he first attend here. He thought he only needs to study and learn, not to do some secret missions.

"Ah, yes. I forgot to explain to you about this particular thing yesterday." He cleared his throat. "As you may know, in this academy, the S-rank is a special rank that consists of students with exceptional wielding prowess." Seijuro nodded, already familiar with this information. "And you know that nowadays, 'supernatural occurrences' are causing such a ruckus, right?" Another nod.

"I am aware of that. That is why the police, military, and medical sections have a special division to take care of those problems, right?" He pointed out. It was common knowledge amongst wielders all around the world. Those who were in the special division were experts, the best of the best. They protect the world from irresponsible wielders and other dangers related to those.

"That is correct." The man agreed. "But there's an unprecedented rise of crimes involving these particular things. The police and the military are up to their eyes in trying to handle all of them. That is why the governor would send in requests to the academy so we can help lessen their burden. It is the reason why we have the rank system here. To select the few excellent ones and have them help with keeping the peace in this country." He stopped for a bit, letting the information seep in. Seijuro unconsciously nodded, the same could be said to Kuroko as he furrowed his brows in thought. The other four already knew of this, so they decided to stay silent.

"Teachers will sometimes be assigned with missions, too." Principal Sanada added. "Did you notice that some teachers will take a leave of absent every now and then for at least three days? And I believe you heard of the infamous 'privileges' that everybody said the S-ranks have." Principal Sanada continued after a while. "Well, to tell you the truth, they were off on a mission so they can't teach or attend classes. And in this particular mission, we need you and your demon. Mr. Kuroko is the only shadow demon in this academy after all. You and your demon's cooperation is invaluable to the accomplishment."

"I did not know of something like that is happening right now." Seijuro carefully said after a moment of silence. Because no one in the academy had uttered a word about this. The news never broadcast such things, and the scarce articles and gossips he stumbled upon were often labeled as hoax. It's something so secretive that even he thought the governor had it all under control.

"That's to be expected. The government kept it under wraps. Just imagine the chaos that would ensue if everyone knows of this." And when Seijuro thought about it, he could already imagine it. These peaceful days they had would forever be gone. Wielders from all over the world would be hunted and killed. Men, women, and even children would point fingers at each other, suspecting and unbelieving. Even potential wielders, those who could see the unseen but not having a demon, were shunned and discriminated. What would happen if all were to find out that demons actually exist and they roam in this world? That they can contract a human? Probably worst than what he initially imagined.

"That is why we would also want you to keep this matter a secret. And request that you accept this mission." The principal asked him again, sounding hopeful.

"Well…" If it's for a better cause, then he didn't actually mind. He's actually happy to help with whatever he can, really. But he didn't know if Kuroko...

"I refuse." A soft voice floated through the air, promoting five pairs of eyes to land on the one who said that.

Ah, there it is. Now he just hoped that the shadow demon won't make things more complicated and cause trouble.

"Why might that be, Mr. Kuroko?" The man frowned. He noticed Seijuro didn't look the least bit surprised by his own demon's refusal.

"You are just full of yourself. To blatantly request for my and my wielder's assistance like that. You didn't even ask for my opinion, my approval." Kuroko frowned, not pleased. "Such impoliteness is unbefitting of a man of your position."

"I had politely asked for your wielder's assistance. What more do I have to do?" The principal retorted back. Tone ice cold as he regarded the demon with steely eyes.

"Then what do you think of us?" He gestured to the other two demons standing with him in the room. "Are we not living beings? Do you see us as mere tools to achieve this world's goals? That behavior of yours is unacceptable."

"That is why I asked your wielder to summon you here when we discuss this matter. To let you in on the details." Principal Sanada told him. His previous thoughts and respect for the shadow demon moments ago shattered in a matter of seconds. "I cannot believe that such a respect thirsty demon like you even exists."

"Do not try to shift the blame or change the subject. You clearly forced my wielder to accept the mission, to throw himself into the lion's cage." Kuroko's tone of voice was still flat, not rising even a notch. "Have you forgotten that just a couple weeks ago he was still a D-rank? He has zero experience in combat. He barely survived in that practice match last week. What made you think you can assign him to a mission when he was just promoted yesterday."

Takao slowly inched to Kasamatsu. "This is getting dangerous, Yu-chan." He whispered to the water demon.

"Let him be." Kasamatsu calmly leaned on the bookshelf. "I'm also against this too."

"Yeah. Me too." Takao said solemnly as he remembered the time when Midorima accepted one of the many missions he was offered. He picked one and turns out it was almost impossible and nearly suicidal. The result is a week spent in the hospital dozing in and out of consciousness, another week when his condition finally stabilized, and five more days until he could finally be discharged and attend school again. Those bandaged fingers were proof enough. They weren't warped like that just because he wanted it to be covered. Midorima nearly lost all five of those fingers because of the failed mission. But Takao knew it wasn't his wielder's fault but more like the principal's unrelenting insistence and smooth words that left Midorima with no other choice.

So he's a bit surprised that he was summoned to hear out about a mission. Because usually, the man won't bother, he equalized a student's answer with their demon's. The opinions of the demons never mattered to him. But today's different. What caused it?

"Which is why I also assigned Mr. Midorima and Mr. Kise, to let them help him. And this is a golden opportunity for him to experience life outside this Academy." The principal voiced his thoughts through gritted teeth. Takao could see he was beginning to lose his composure. "Also, I did not force him to accept. I was just telling him the happenings in this world."

"I believe I heard you say 'a group of thieves' or did I misheard that?" Kuroko decided to not directly answer to the man's retort as he walked closer to the table, standing beside Midorima and Seijuro as he snatched the file. Pale hands riffled through the stack of papers before dropping it lazily it to the table, pointing at a particular line. "See this? 'A group. '" Kuroko emphasized the word before he took back the file and flipped it again. "And see this here? A list of the thieves. Over twenty people and each of them are all wielders. That makes at least forty thieves to three teenagers and three demons." The file was thrown to the floor. "Yes, this is a golden opportunity, a golden opportunity to travel to the underworld. And you did force him. It was apparent since you didn't offer him any options, lacing your offer with the happenings of the outside to hide the forceful request."

"All three of you are Seirin's demons. Surely you can handle a mere forty thieves. Are you saying that the legends lied?" Principal Sanada pointed out. He could feel his blood boiling from within, ready to burst anytime. "Does that mean the almighty demon's of Seirin are just a bunch of cowards?"

At the last question, the shadow demon's eyes twitched, his hands shook. The fingers curled into fists, the veins popped out, protruding from the skin as the muscles went taut. Seijuro who realized the subtle movement immediately called out to the teal head.

"Kuroko, Stop!" Seijuro gripped the demon's wrist. He needs to put an end to this before anything bad happens. Because the principal is getting angry and Kuroko had a knack of making even the calmest people snap. And when the principal loses it, who knows what'll happen. Add that to this annoyed version of Kuroko and before long the imaginable would occur.

"Forgive me Akashi-kun, but I cannot do that." The response was not the one he wanted as the demon roughly shook off his hand. "This man is an utter retard. Do you know how many seals these humans have broke?" The shadow demon gestured to the mentioned humans, eyes not leaving the man's own onyx pools.

Kuroko continued. "Do you know how excruciating it is to both the demon and human to expel such a massive amount of energy? No, you don't. Because you are a fool that took those legends to face value without fully understanding them." The shadow demon answered his own questions. "You just easily assign an amateur to a mission because he has contracted one of Seirin's demons, to flaunt our powers to the world with a single order. Now I'm starting to think that the reason you promoted Akashi-kun is just so that he will take this mission and not from his efforts. It was foolish of me to have thought otherwise."

"I promoted him because he has exceptional wielding abilities! What else do you think I did so?!"

Kuroko shrugged, his anger dissipated. Seijuro almost believed that he was never ticked off in the first place. "To accept this mission, what else? I already told you. You immediately assign him to this one, where the criminals have a shadow demon that made capturing them difficult. Add that to the fact that I'm the only shadow demon in this academy..." He trailed off, cerulean eyes narrowed.

"It is I who you need. You need to get your hands on me, Seirin's very own shadow demon, right? Promoting Akashi-kun to S-rank is just a farce. Your objective is to add me to your repertoire. Because you have no other way to get another one of Seirin's demons on your palms, under your control, to use our strength as if tools in the guise of assigning your students to missions. And I can say with a hundred percent certainty that you have some sort of motive behind all this, some kind of reason for your obsession over 'powerful demons.' It's just a matter of time before it will be revealed."

"But do not get the wrong idea." He continued. "I, for one, am elated that my wielder could rise up the ranks like that. But if it is attained not because of his efforts, then I believe Akashi-kun will rather be demoted back to D-rank." Well, Kuroko's not wrong. He actually hit the nail on the head. Seiijuro would rather stay the way he was before rather than sitting on top of the caste if what the demon had said were true. "And do try to differentiate stating the facts with arrogance. I am only saying what I have in mind. I do not intend to insult or look down on anybody here. There is no need to be offended if you think that my words are just the ramblings of an imbecile.

"Silence!" The man finally snapped, fist hitting the table as a loud bang resounded throughout the room as a result.

"For you to suddenly snap like that, you must be severely offended."

"I said silence! I shall not take any more of your blasphemy!"

"Blasphemy you say?" Kuroko's voice a poor imitation of a confused person, complete with the trademark head tilt. "Such a strong word coming from you who had mocked all of us in this room. To insult Seirin's demons and overestimate your students to the point of foolhardiness. And let's not forget 'taking advantage of people' too." He listed off. "I'd say you're the one who should stop the blasphemy and nonsense."

"You have no right to all say that when you are a disgrace to your own wielder!" Because he saw Kuroko roughly detach Seijuro's hand away from him. That he disobeyed his wielder and caused such a ruckus in this office. "I cannot believe a student of mine could make a contract with a demon like you!" The man yelled at Kuroko's face.

This time the expression plastered on Kuroko's face was that of boredom. "Nobody's perfect, nobody's absolute. Every living being in this world will err, will make mistakes, will falter, will one way or another forever be a disgrace to somebody. Even a demon like myself knows of this, but you took those flaws to a whole new level." A sigh. He's actually getting tired of arguing with this human.

"This is the second time I met someone of your likes. To completely disregard someone else's life and to ignore the safety of your students. And when something goes wrong, you'll discard it all as a 'failed mission.'" He was referring to a certain red haired teen's family. Seijuro knew of this but decided to keep his mouth shut. "And I also cannot believe an academy as prestigious as this can have a headmaster like you." He lightly shook his head. "That will forever be one of the world's mysteries."

"I shall not hear another word from you!" Another bang on the table as the principal yet again hit his fist to it, while the other hand pointed a finger at the demon.

"Yet another human ordering me around. And he's not even my wielder." Kuroko slightly turned his body to face his fellow demons, ignoring the outburst. "What did I miss? Why are they so arrogant nowadays?" Both Kasamatsu and Takao shrugged. Another mystery left unsolved.

The principal had enough. He shall dispose of this demon himself. With that in mind, he secretly summoned his own demon, wanting to settle this even if he had to resort to violence as he had exhausted all his reasonings on this demon.

The element particles shot out from his ring and materialized into a woman. But even before she could fully appear, a dense ball of ice traveled the space between himself and Midorima. Kuroko didn't even bat an eyelash as it missed their heads by inches, slamming itself into the principal's demon's head to rendering her unconscious. Then, tendrils of crystal clear liquid rose and picked up the knocked out demon as six blobs of pristine water formed to cover the limbs and torso. The female demon was lifted to the wall as the water froze. She was now an ethereal ornament on the wall. Surrounded by a crater-like crack and a beautiful smear of blood covering her gorgeous features.

"Kasamatsucchi! What are you doing?!" Kise whipped his head to his demon who had just trapped the female.

"I also do not approve of this man's words." Kasamatsu folded his arms in front of his chest. "Also, that imbecile dared to insult us all and had the gall to try to attack Kuroko. None shall lay a finger on any Seirin members on my watch. And be grateful that Kuroko confronted him earlier than me."

Seeing this, the principal went to grab the phone on his table, attempting to call the security. But no such thing could be easily done as when he was about to lift the receiver and press a button, the telephone exploded. This caused the device to send various pieces of plastic to fly each and every way. Kuroko made a shield to protect himself and the humans. A small fire rose as the aftermath, threatening to devour the room, but Kasamatsu took care of that and threw a blob of water to the scarlet flames. They were extinguished immediately.

"Takao!" Midorima yelled, his hand gripping another goose egg. He knew the wind demon was the one who made the phone explode since he saw the electrical surge coming from the cables. But the demon didn't laugh or smile like usual when scolded. Instead, he shot a streak of lightning through the cell phone Principal Sanada fished out from his pocket. The little communication device flew from the grip and landed on the floor with a clatter, the screen cracked as the batteries burnt.

"Forgive me for my actions, Shin-chan. But this man is pushing the limits of my patience; I cannot tolerate such brazen behavior. You are free to yell at my ears afterward." Takao's tone of voice made a shiver run down his spine since the usually jolly demon was never this angry.

And as a last form of effort, the man materialized a knife made from the earth element. He swung, the sharp blade about to stab Kuroko, the one who caused it all. But the tip of the knife stopped a mere centimeter from making contact with the left eye. The arm that was raised shook as the one holding it tried to get the blade to gouge out that eyeball out of its socket.

The shadow demon lazily stared at the man. His cerulean pools bored as if he was watching a rerun of a movie he had already watched a million times over rather than a squirming man. "It's no use. I have your shadow." As proof, Kuroko lifted his fist that was already gripping an obsidian shadow. "Please don't try to do anything." He gave the black silk like shadow a couple of tugs, and the man released the weapon, sitting back down in his seat.

"Now as you can see, all three demons disapprove of this." Kuroko caressed the shadow absentmindedly. "This mission is too dangerous."

"I have the authority to assign students with these missions! The academy gave me permission! You do not have the right to refuse! Your opinions hold no importance to me!"

"Ah, you're showing your true colors." Kuroko still played with the shadow, unaffected by the man's yells. "Finally, after you insisted otherwise. But what can you do? You're surrounded and your demon there is unconscious. There's no stopping me from finishing you." As a bit of a demonstration, Kuroko squeezed the shadow he was gripping for a while. "Should I start with your hands first or your legs? How many parts do you want your body to be divided? My, just imagining your screams of pain only excites me more." The shadows were squeezed tighter. "It's been a long time since I had fun."

"Then what is it that you want?" The principal gasped out, panicked. Realizing what Kuroko was capable of as pain surged his whole body. "Money, power, food? Say it, and it shall be done."

"Resorting to bribery?" Kuroko raised a fine eyebrow. "Pathetic. Are you terrified? But unfortunately for you, we won't be swayed by such things. We've been offered ridiculous things during the war after all. Things far more valuable such as an island, a castle, one thousand slaves, one hundred whores, three massive brothels, fifty chests full of jewelry. We refused them all. Such things didn't and will never matter to us. We don't find any value in those just like how our opinions don't matter to you. So, any last words?"

The man gritted his teeth. His body struggled to break free from the demon's grasp, redoubling his efforts when his own body didn't budge. "Kuroko! I told you to stop!" Seijuro rose from his seat. The chair behind him fell to the floor, but he paid it no mind as he gripped the demon and spun Kuroko, making them face each other.

"Akashi-kun. Please refrain from trying to interfere and making things more complicated." The shadow demon regarded the human with little to no interest. "Remember the last time you did? You almost died in your sleep if not for me."

"Times have changed Kuroko, technology has rapidly grown. If you end his life, the governor will surely know of this, and in less than an hour, they'll have you, me, and the others in this room hunted! We'll be fugitives! And believe me when I say that not even having three of Seirin's demons can stop them! It is you who shall not make things more complicated." Seijuro locked his ruby eyes with cerulean ones, making sure he got his point across. "Now, I'm ask-, no, I'm _ordering_ you to stop!" Absoluteness dripped from his words, just like that time during dinner.

A staring contest happened between the two. Those crimson and cerulean pools clashing with each other. Both of them not willing to surrender, daring the other to speak, to move, to twitch. But after around a minute with the atmosphere tense and no words uttered, the demon averted his gaze. "Fine…" Kuroko looked at the man who had grown silent, grip loosening. "I'll let you escape with your life this time." The demon said to the principal.

Others let out a sigh of relief. "Then does that mean you still refuse?"

"Oh, now you're just tempting me. Should I rip off some of your limbs, gouge out your eyes, or shatter your bones?" The shadow was gripped again, making the man gasp in pain. "Maybe I should strangle you. You're getting noisy with all the gasping." His hand that was not gripping the shadow reached forward.

"Kuroko, cease your actions this instant!" Kasamatsu thundered, tone of voice not allowing a negative response to reply to it. That made the teal head stop and obey as he pulled back his arm. Kuroko clicked his tongue in annoyance and uttered something under his breath. Moments later, a ball of shadow appeared as he stuck the principal's shadow to it. He gave it to Kasamatsu while he stepped back. The water demon accepted the ball and approached the man, standing just an arm's length. "Speak. I shall lend you a generous ear."

"The missions given by the governor must be accomplished. If not then there will be consequences." Kasamatsu heard the explanation. The orb in his possession changed its color into gray when the words escaped those lips. A single red swirl danced in it as if someone dropped some food coloring into a bowl of water. All the teens saw this but decided to keep quiet while the demons looked as if they expected that to happen.

"What are the consequences you speak of?"

"I do not know, but I once heard a teacher suddenly went missing and never to be heard again, and some mysteriously died in the span of one week." Another red swirl was added

"Do you have any ulterior motives or benefits from these accomplished missions?"

"No." There are now three swirls.

A huff. "My, to tell lies when you're in such a condition. How about I enlighten you about this orb." He held up the said round sphere for all to see. "Notice that it has changed colors and that there are red swirls here?" Kasamatsu pointed at the crimson dancing lines. "Kuroko casted a spell on this orb. Every time you tell a lie, another swirl will appear until eventually, this gray orb turns into a red orb. And when that happens..."

"It will shatter, and you will die a painful death." Kuroko continued for all of them. "If you do not believe me then you are free to tell more lies. Let us see how much you can spew before that happens."

A cold sweat ran down the man's cheek. "I'll start over," Kasamatsu spoke again, stealing all the occupants of the office's attention again. "What are the consequences this academy faces when no one is able to accomplish a mission?"

The one being interrogated didn't answer for a while. His mind racing with the thought of how to escape this situation. But when he saw the orb already halfway from the color crimson and how to swirls are actually thick, he thought he still valued his life and conceded. "There are no consequences. They'll cancel the mission and swap it with another one. And the rumors I just said never happened." Two swirls vanished.

Kasamatsu nodded. "Do you have any ulterior motives or benefits from these accomplished missions?"

"Yes." The orb now back to its ebony color. "The government will send a significant amount of money to the academy every time a mission is accomplished..."

"The classic greedy human. So that's what you're after." The water demon commented. "Let me guess, the money was actually meant to pay the students, but instead, you took them all even though you were also being paid." Kasamatsu connected the dots. "Is that correct?"

"Yes." The orb's still in its dark color.

"And you hurriedly assign each mission to both students and teachers, so the government will send more as a bonus for the fast accomplishment. This particular one has a significant amount of reward."

"Yes..."

"Despicable." The water demon spat to the one in front of him. That one word drenched with venom and laced with fury. "You disgust me. Maybe we should arrest you for being a thief too or have us demons slaughter you right now."

Silence reigned after Kasamatsu said those words as even a pin drop could be heard. The water demon's bluish gray eyes never left the principal's onyx ones that were averted. He knew humans have flaws. Even the most innocent ones will have those. It's their nature. But sometimes even Kasamatsu had to wonder how they can just let other people suffer for their own selfish wishes and fulfillment of their satisfaction. What they can do to reach their goals and get rid of the 'Obstacles.' The man in front of him was just one example out of many.

But after a while of seeing the man squirm, Kasamatsu had enough. He let out a sigh and let the ice that trapped the female demon melt. Takao ran and caught her. He crouched down and laid her gently on the floor. "One month." The water demon said as the wind demon's hand glowed, healing the head wound and frostbites.

"Excuse me?"

"Give them one month to train and get stronger." The injuries were healing at a rapid pace. "After that, we'll accept the mission. That alright with you guys, right?" The last one was directed at the three humans.

"Okay."

"Yes."

"Alright."

"Takao? Kuroko?"

"Fine with me."

"Likewise."

"What will be your decision, principal?" Takao rose. Behind him, the female demon was fully healed as if she was not injured in the first place. As if she was sleeping the whole time.

"I do not think I have a choice."

"The mission doesn't have a deadline, right?"

"The deadline is one month from now."

"Perfect. And I expect you to give them and the other students their payments be it when they already accomplished the mission before or those who had just accomplished it. The teachers too." Kasamatsu threw the orb to the air as it dispersed to wisps of shadow particles. The man was freed. "Such iniquity will not be tolerated. Do this again, then I suggest you sleep with both eyes open. You won't be able to escape from us." Kasamatsu didn't bother concealing his threat.

Both Kuroko and Takao were standing on either side of the door as Kasamatsu approached them. But just inches away from the door, the water demon stopped and turned around to face the principal, standing in between his companions.

"I believe this is the end of the discussion. I greatly enjoyed the tête-à-tête." Kasamatsu said as he and his fellow demons bowed, a hand placed neatly above their hearts. "Please excuse us." They left the office followed by their wielders who bowed first before leaving. A soft click resounded when the door closed.

* * *

And one month did pass. One month spent to get stronger, filled with rigorous training. Using every bit of their free time to improve themselves. Because even though they are placed in the S-rank, have had matches at the Academy, and have classes that taught them various wielding techniques, combat in real life is something dangerous and what they have experienced in the educational world cannot be compared on equal grounds.

Their training cannot be called training. Torture could name it better. Every day they arrive home exhausted, limbs feeling more like jelly than of flesh and bones. Their own demons assigned them training regiments that would make even athletes faint. And not to mention wielding practices that further drained their energy.

But despite all that, they had to admit they could feel the improvement. That is something all three humans can approve aside from their shared stories of their demon's cruelty and the pain they had inflicted on their bodies.

That is why all of them were now hiding behind a warehouse. Back pressed against a wall as they spied on their targets' supposed hideout located on the outskirts of the city. The place looked dreadful and the night sky just gave the overall atmosphere a haunted feel to it. Especially when the lights inside the building would occasionally blink.

But all six of them could hear voices from the old building and from the sounds of it, they were getting ready to operate tonight. A wonderful coincidence to catch them red handed.

Knowing this, Midorima signaled his fellow teammates to approach the truck parked outside of it. The two others following him, occasionally checking if the coast is clear before advancing further. Kuroko had gone inside Seijuro's shadow, and Kasamatsu had reverted to his animal form, coiling himself onto Kise's neck while Takao is up in the skies. The hawk flying above to keep watch.

"So? We goin' to da national museum t'nite?" They heard one of the thieves said. By now the teenagers have positioned themselves under the vehicle.

"Yup. We're gonna nab everythin' there." The rolling doors cracked slowly, screeching from the rust. "Da police won't notice anythin'."

All teens chose that time to grab hold the underside of the truck and lift their feet up to step on whatever metal they could step there as their backs were inches away from touching the pavement. "Got dat right. Those idiots will think it's magic like last time."

The vehicle's doors were opened as some of the men hopped on -two in the front, three at the back inside the box- while the rest got in another truck. "But it is magic. Those nonpotentials don't know anythin'."

"Dis will be a piece o' cake." Then the engines came alive, purring for a bit as to heat up a little before it zoomed away towards the museum. None of the thieves knew that there were other passengers underneath their truck.

The large vehicle ran on the streets like any other cars on the road. None suspected that they were a band of thieves. As they spend along the city, coming to a stop every now and then to wait for the lights, the humans kept their positions. Gritting their teeth as their fingers started to go numb and warm from the heat even though they were wearing gloves.

But just as they thought the journey would never end, the truck halted. The engines turned off, and the men came out, slamming the doors behind them. The back door was unlocked as they came out, dragging a couple of backpacks filled with probably various equipment to help them do their job.

"Alright boys, time to empty dis buildin'." One man that looked like their leader said as he pulled his mask over his face. The others mirroring his actions. They shattered the gate's locks and went inside, knocking a couple of security guards unconscious before they can sound the alarm and broke the cameras there.

When the footsteps were a bit further away, the three, who managed to hitch a ride carefully slid down to the pavement, flexing their fingers. "Okay let's get them," Kise whispered as he tried to crawl out.

 _"Wait."_ The serpent on his neck said. _"Takao, did they left behind some of their friends outside?"_ The demon's voice was heard to all six of them through their temporary shared link, including the one flying in the skies.

 _"Yeah, I see three of them."_ Takao's voice replied in their minds telepathically. _"One's inside the truck you guys are hiding under, the two others are on the side of the second one, smoking."_

 _"Can you shoot them?"_ Kuroko asked the wind demon.

 _"Don't underestimate me, Tet-chan. I know that it's been a long time since we're on a mission together but that doesn't mean I've gone rusty."_ And whizzing sounds were heard before three gasps floated to the air. Twin thuds were felt, and one more made the truck shake slightly.

The serpent slithered out followed by the rest. _"Good job Takao. Keep an eye on the situation outside and provide backup. Make sure to inform us of anything suspicious."_

 _"Roger that, Yu-chan."_ The hawk flew away to perch somewhere as to not get spotted.

When the rest were out, Kuroko peeled himself from Seijuro's shadow. The demon looking at his surroundings before he caught sight of the two thieves. Both of them laid on the ground knocked out as needles punctured some parts of the bodies. A check to their pulse told him they were alive. Takao must've put them asleep. A slam from the vehicle's door found Kasamatsu carrying the last one over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, needles stuck out in the same location as the two.

"Acupuncture," Seijuro mumbled off when he saw the needles.

"That's right," Kuroko said. "Takao-kun has memorized the acupuncture points of the body. Putting people asleep like this is child's play to him."

"It's a miracle he could memorize all that." Kasamatsu placed the human he's carrying down on the ground with a slight grunt. "I can still remember the time when he punctured the wrong points, and the victim died with blood squirting from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nostrils."

A shiver ran down the teens' spines when they heard that piece of information. Especially when Kuroko commented at how beautiful the 'explosion' was.

"Do your thing Kuroko." The water demon said as he moved all three of the men to lay face down on the cold concrete. The teal head nodded and plucked out the shadows from the ground before gathering them in one hand, the other one formed a ball of shadow and stuck them. He gave it to Kasamatsu who put the sphere in an ice glass, setting it on the ground in front of the unconscious ones.

"Now that that's out of the way, we can finally go inside." All of them were about to go inside. "But before that, I would like to to have a word with you guys."

The others were ready to complain, but Kasamatsu held up a hand. "This is important. I promise it won't take long." The water demon looked at them straight in the eyes. "This may be the first mission we have together, but I want all of us to work together as if we've done this a million times over. No one's going to be left behind, and you're all going to have to rely on each other. Everybody here is a team, so I won't tolerate anyone who thinks they're a big shot and decided to do everything themselves. And be sure not to get injured too badly, but if that actually happens cover for them, I'll try to heal that person the best I can."

No one voiced out their complaints at the little pep talk. "Then let's go."

All five of them went inside, slipping in from the gates and entering the building with relative ease as the entrances were busted out. When all was inside the dark museum, all could see that security guards have littered the floor along with bits and pieces of what looked like the cameras and glass containers used to cover the art pieces.

Walking further inside saw the men in the middle of packing the art pieces inside five large boxes made from stone. Their demons summoned out, guarding their humans against anyone trying to interfere. Midorima peeked from the wall he hid behind and saw three located to the right, three to the left, while one stood nearer to the boxes. Their eyes as sharp as hawks and all could feel the intense energies that radiated from their being.

 _"Just a little bit of info."_ Kuroko's voice went through their link. _"The middle one is a spellcaster."_

Seijuro frowned at the piece of information. It made all of this harder for them. _"We'll take care of that one for you."_ Kasamatsu said. _"You guys take care of the rest."_

"Fer a museum there's not much 'ere." One of the thieves grumbled.

"What'ya mean not much? Dis is a lot." Another retorted as he put a painting into one of the boxes.

"Not as much as da money we nabbed at da bank."

"Ya idiot. These here pieces o' art will cost a buttload o' money when we sell them on da black market." A thief pointed out. "Idiots like ya don't know anythin'."

"You callin' me an idiot, asshole?"

"Stop da fightin' and get a move on. We're done 'ere." And true enough, the boxes were lifted by some of them. The demons standing in a formation surrounding the boxes.

 _'A diamond formation.'_ Seijuro thought. The spellcaster walked close to the stone containers in the center.

As the thieves walked towards the entrance, Kise secretly formed a couple of patches of ice on the floor. Thin enough to be nearly discernable but still slippery as to make them trip. And trip they did, stumbling around and falling to the ground. Taking this chance, Kuroko and Kasamatsu immediately went ahead, darting forward to the spellcaster.

Already knowing the chaos, all three teens unleashed their attacks to counter the thieves'. They were quick to learn that they were actually skilled criminals. Their movements swift and sharp, elements intense with a wide variety of mastery.

"Hah! A bunch of kids!" One of them looked down on them, creating a shield to protect himself from a wave of flames. "The police are really desperate now."

"Ya dolt. They're wielders!"

"Won't change da fact they're still kids." A sneer and a wind blade went through Seijuro, almost slicing his ear if he didn't tilt his head. "And dis one's a shorty!"

The man laughed, loud and boisterous. But not for long as he was soon choking, his mouth and throat burning. "I feel insulted." The red haired human said ominously. "Should I burn off your legs to make you smaller?" Soul flames the size of basketballs hit said feet, burning them. The man let out a panicked squeak. It was all he could muster as his vocal cords got burned, he'll never be able to speak again. The burly man tried to pat off the fires, but vines warped itself around the wrist and hung him from the ceiling.

"I shall come back to you later with a bat to hit that thing between your legs. I'll make sure you have no chance to procreate." And with that nightmarish threat, Seijuro went to help out Kise and Midorima.

"You rubbed off on him." Kasamatsu said as he laid the knocked out demon on the floor.

"This demon is so proud of him. My wielder. So savage." Kuroko made an orb made out of shadows and trapped the spellcaster. His voice is still as flat as ever, but there's a glint of sick happiness in those blue eyes. Kasamatsu decided to leave that alone and see how the humans were doing.

He found out they were being overwhelmed.

"Kuroko," The one addressed glanced his way. "make sure to find their shadow demon. I'm going in to help out." The teal head nodded as the water demon released two of his seals, making two ethereal looking icicles to form and float around him. It was proof of the release when one is not in their animal form. The eyes were slitted as the hands grew claws, his feet became clawed but slightly webbed. A Serpent's tail grew from his tailbone, the scales glistening with the silver ring at the base and fins ran along his spine as wings sprouted from his back. Kasamatsu threw a ball of ice to the back of the hanging thief's head. The man was knocked out and the annoying voices of pain silenced.

"Why did you turn off the music?" Kuroko jokingly asked, but Kasamatsu ignored him and threw himself into the fray.

The teal head stood up when he was done and saw the museum was in a state of utter chaos. But that was not his center of focus. His job now is to find the demon from the same tribe as him. With that in mind, he let his eyes transform. The human and demon's outlines a blur as red lines decorated their being. The flow of energies surging in them and bursting whenever an element was shot out.

Kuroko saw each and every one of them. Identifying some of their elements as earth, wind, water and there's one of light. But no matter where he looked, there was no one with the shadow element there except for him.

Then he closed his eyes and slightly raised his arms. Feeling the waves of energies rolling around in waves. Letting his own energies sought out its kin. _"Hey everybody! There're two more trucks in front of the building. Ten wielders and eleven demons!"_ Takao's report shattered his concentration.

And they came flowing in just as the criminals were starting to lose the battle because of a certain water demon had decided to join in the brawl. The backups wasted no time to attack them, giving their companions a chance to flee from the ruined building, leaving behind a couple of unconscious ones that were immediately trapped by the teal head demon. The boxes filled with the art carried away to be loaded into a truck.

 _"Shit! Everyone follow them! Grab one of their vehicles!"_ Takao said. _"Get on the one you guys hitched on! That one still has the key attached!"_

"You heard the demon! Move!" Kasamatsu yelled. They also fled the place, but the thieves were fast as they were already near the gates while the teens still have to pass the large courtyard. Kasamatsu leading far ahead but at this rate, he won't be able to catch up. _"Takao! Situation update!"_

 _"They're fast! The boxes are already loaded in a truck!"_ Takao reported. _"Run faster! One of them is approaching the tru- What The Fuck?! Tet-chan! When did you get there?!"_

 _"The moon is on my side."_ Came the response as he kicked the one trying to get on the truck. _"I need someone who can drive!"_

 _"Shin-chan! Get in the driver's seat!"_ The hawk recommended his human. _"Hurry! They're getting away!"_

 _"Follow them!"_ Midorima ordered his demon as he hopped on the vehicle, stepping on an unconscious thief's body as leverage.

 _"Takao-kun! Get down here! I'm coming with you!"_ Kuroko already in his fox form yelled through the link.

"Kuroko! What a-"

 _"Got it, Tet-chan!"_ The hawk cut off Seijuro and did a nose dive to Kuroko's location, releasing three seals in the process. The shadow demon wasted no time to jump onto the larger avian when he close enough. And when he felt the weight, Takao flapped his wings and flew up the skies once more. They were now a mere speck in the heavens.

"Seijuro what are you doing?! Get on!" Kasamatsu roared. The red haired teen snapped out of his thoughts and hopped in, slamming the door close just in time for the truck to run like the wind. _"Takao! Kuroko! Directions and distance!"_

 _"They're around one kilometer ahead of you! Take a turn on the next block and do a u-turn!"_ Takao said. Midorima heard it and went to that direction. The truck took a sharp turn and ran on the curb before it went down to swivel on the concrete, printing skid marks on the road. The side of the truck slightly crashed into a mailbox, dented.

"What the hell! Midorimacchi you said you can drive!" Kise complained as he was almost thrown right off from the top of the truck where he and Kasamatsu had positioned themselves.

"I didn't say that, nanodayo! Bakao was the one who recommended me to drive! I'm underage, I don't have a license, so I've never driven before!" Midorima said as Seijuro quickly swerved the wheel so as to not crash into an incoming car. "That last one was Seijuro's doing!"

"You were about to crash into another vehicle! And Kise, do not initiate a conversation with the driver!" Seijuro yelled at them. _"Kuroko, where to?"_

The link was silent, the one being asked not responding. Kasamatsu found it suspicious. _"Takao, Kuroko! Respond!"_

 _"We fucking lost them!"_ Came the frustrated scream. _"They just up and vanished!"_

 _"Don't be fooled, it's an illusion! The shadow demon must be doing this! Just keep flying, Takao-kun. I'll be giving the directions."_ Kuroko said. _"Keep going straight! They're heading to the port!"_

"The port?" Then Seijuro scanned his surroundings before mentally kicking himself for not noticing. "Midorima, switch with me! I'll drive!"

"What do you mean, nanodayo?!" The green haired wielder asked. "And can you even reach the pedals?!"

"Do not insinuate about my height!" He gripped the driver's arm tightly as if wanting to cut off the blood circulation. "Just do it! I know a short cut!" And Seijuro forcefully pulled Midorima to switch with him. _"Kuroko are you sure they're heading to the port?"_

 _"Positive. There's nothing else on that side of the city."_ Kuroko said.

 _"Good. I want both of you to slow them down for us. Shoot their wheels or their drivers."_ The red haired teen ordered. _"You can go on ahead. We'll catch up in exactly five minutes."_

"Wha!? Oi Seijuro you got some screws loose?!" Kasamatsu's yell was heard amidst the wind rushing to his face. His complaint was supported by the others'.

"Trust me on this. I'm aware of what I'm doing." And without waiting for their responses, Seijuro made the truck turn to the right, entering a dirty alley. The road narrow as the sides of the vehicle grinded on the wall. Sparks flew in each and every way as they let out a horrible screech.

The others complained about this, but Seijuro turned into a deaf man to all of that as he pressed his foot on the accelerator, making the rather large vehicle run at one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour. Kasamatsu had to stab his claws on the metal box to prevent himself from falling as Kise was hanging onto an ice spear he made for dear life. Midorima clutched his lucky item -a mushroom plushie that wore a blue vest and a pair of shoes that was formerly tucked away in his military vest's pocket- for dear life.

An intersection was in front of them, but Seijuro ignored this and drove straight. The vehicle made a beeline towards what looked like a fish market. But even with the market right in front of them, Seijuro just kept on accelerating, not slowing down. This made for a never before seen sight of a truck going through a wet and stinky fish market.

The few mongers who were preparing threw themselves to the side, getting out of the way of the truck when Seijuro slammed the horn. He crashed into a cart filled with tuna, but that was the least of his worries. The wipers were turned on, and the fishes were out of his sight.

A sharp turn to the left. The vehicle now tilted to the side with only two wheels keeping it upright. But even though the balance of the truck is worrying, Seijuro kept on going. The truck was running on four wheels again after a couple of seconds, jolting the whole vehicle when it did so. He thought he heard a rather loud bump to his left, Midorima probably accidentally hit his head on the glass window. But he probably would never know, his eyes were on the road, still busy with slicing through the streets like a mad man.

A car honked its horn. Seijuro reflexively swerved right as the wheels screeched. An old woman's head poked out of the rolled down car window, cursing and throwing profanities at him. He thought he heard her scream something along the lines of. "Damn whippersnappers! Doyounotseehowyoualmostcrashedintomycar?Whybackinmydays..." But the teen let the woman run her mouth, not bothering to listen any further to the old woman's lectures as his foot stomped on the accelerator until the speed meter reached max. Kise and Kasamatsu could be heard yelling back at the woman.

"You're going too fast!"

"Just sit quietly, Midorima! I'm trying to focus!" Seijuro frowned as ruby eyes saw a flag up ahead. One that he was sure was attached to a ship. It was a sign that they were nearing their destination, he knew it, especially when he could already smell the salty breeze of the sea.

"Slow down!"

"I shall slow down when we arrive at our destination!"

"SEIJUROCCHI, THERE'S A PLUMP CAT RIGHT IN FRONT!" Sure enough, there it is. An ugly cat with an oversized head and body. It's fur white with some patches of gray and brown on its back and head. How can he not see it? Midorima's complaints must be the cause.

"WHY THE HELL IS THAT CAT THERE?!" Yes, why?

"JUST RUN OVER IT NANODAYO!" Oh, he wanted to, but that would mean killing an innocent animal, and the road's gone too narrow for him to avoid the feline.

Why does this day decide to screw him over? What did he ever do? Aren't they satisfied with the cut running along his arm and the sprained leg he now suffers from? Goodness, even stepping on the accelerator like this made his muscles scream, gripping the steering wheel made the blood from the cut flow even more.

"This..."

Seijuro pressed down his foot on the brakes. Damn leg hurts.

"Is why..."

The hand brakes were pulled. The cut got more agitated.

"GO AWAY MR. CAT! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE SSU! SEIJUROCCHI, DO SOMETHING!" The feline didn't move away, mockingly laying there licking its paws.

"You don't..."

He manipulated the surrounding elements.

"That's one way to go to the underworld. Rest in peace."

"Initiate..."

The truck won't stop.

"KILL THAT SPAWN OF THE DEVIL!"

"A conversation..."

The wheels squealed as skid marks tattooed the road.

"WITH THE DRIVER!"

And the vehicle was suddenly up in the air. A gigantic pine tree had grown just underneath the truck -which could count as a miracle seeing as the tree didn't stab through the metal instead. It grew at an alarming rate, acting as a spring and making the occupants of the vehicle scream bloody hell, all except for the pissed off driver.

"AAHHH!"

"SEIJURO YOU MOTHER FUCKER!"

"WHILE I ADMIT I HAD SLEPT WITH MY MOTHER BEFORE, I CAN ASSURE YOU I AM STILL A VIRGIN!" Seijuro ignored Kasamatsu's reply of "IT'S JUST A FIGURE OF SPEECH!" in favor of speaking through the link _"Kuroko, we're approximately ten seconds away from the port. Where are you?"_ And true to his words, the port was within sight.

A moment of silence before Takao was the one who responded. _"Tet-chan found the shadow demon. He's fighting him now. He said he had dispelled the illusion."_ The voice sounded a bit ragged.

 _"And the thieves? Where are they?"_ Seijuro asked again.

 _"I'm fighting them as we speak."_ A pause. _"You better hurry here. The boxes are going to be shipped overseas!"_

 _"Understood."_ Seijuro ended the conversation as he opened the door. "I suggest we all jump off this truck." And all did so, escaping the flying vehicle and landing on the concrete as the truck plunged into the sea behind them with a dramatic splash.

And his leg started acting up. Pain shot out and gripped at his muscles and nerves, eliciting a grunt.

"Remind me not to let you drive again, ever," Kise said as he helped him stand up. The blond careful not to use his right hand that had a large bruise on it.

"Will do." Was the reply as they ran straight to the sound of battles being heard. Thunder cracked even when there's not a cloud to be seen. All predicted Takao was there and true enough, the demon was in the middle of the fray. With three of his seals released, his features a mix of human and hawk just like how Kasamstsu is a half human half serpent. On his back, his wings sprouted but unlike usual, it was ruffled with some of the feathers falling off, and one was crooked, broken. While his feet were now talons with a silver anklet accessory shackling his right ankle. Hands now clawed with wind particles surrounding them. The demon materialized lightning bombs that exploded with a sonic boom upon contact, letting static fly off every way possible.

Seeing this, Midorima quickly formed a bow of light. As he pulled the string, a pure white arrow materialized. He took aim and not even a second later, it was shot and struck true as it impaled a man's shoulder. The victim clutched the wound, making him drop his gun that was aimed at the wind demon who had his back turned to dodge an incoming icicle.

Seijuro provided backup as he placed his palms flat on the ground. Moments later whips made from grape vines rose, breaking the concrete. They were thick and long, gigantic as when one was slammed to the ground, the surroundings rattled. When more made impact, the concrete would crack further.

Kise meanwhile shot volleys of flames at them to inflict burns. He took advantage of Seijuro's whips as he set fire on them, making the vines more deadly than intended. When the flames were big, threatening to engulf the plants, he manipulated them so that they leaped of the tendrils and fly towards the criminals like a wave. Seijuro would then let the vines regenerate.

The idea was to create as much distance between them since close combat seems to be the thieves' specialty.

Trusting that the situation's controlled here, Kasamatsu let his eyes travel around the area. After a while, he caught sight of a five humans carrying the boxes towards a ship. Clicking his tongue, he dived into the sea and swam. His body reverting entirely into a serpent, all the while he released another seal.

He resurfaced right in front of the humans, acting as a barricade between the thieves and the ship. _"I suggest you surrender now or face the consequences."_ A layer of ice traveled the ground but one of them stomped his foot as flames melted them in waves.

The serpent was a little baffled at this, but then he realized that the sun is coming out from the horizon, meaning that the moon's jurisdiction is about to end. Curses! He's starting to weaken. But now that he thinks about it, his element's behind him. And since the situation is dire, then...

Kasamatsu dodged a human trying to shot him with a gun. He slithered away and slammed his tail on the concrete. He shot a barrage of icicles, and this one made the humans drop the large boxes to dodge. The ice touched the stone containers and froze it. The serpent slammed his tail a second time as the sea behind him rippled.

The waters behind him were manipulated, they lifted up the boxes into the air, holding it with a frozen pedestal. The thieves cursed and were about to try to shatter the ice tower with their attacks when Kasamatsu gave a final slam with his tail. After he had done that, the ground shook violently, making the ones in front of him stumble and fall. The shipping containers around fell and crashed down. Some of the old ones breaking with a reverberating bang, spilling their insides.

What happened next is something that could easily be chalked off as a natural disaster. Or to be more specific, a tsunami.

A massive wave rose behind the serpent, effectively flinging away the ships surrounding the port. It stood around thirty meters, casting an eerie shadow. Not giving a chance for the thieves to recover from the shock, Kasamatsu let the wave crash and engulf the whole place.

 _"Yu-chan, you asshole!"_ He heard Takao curse but Kasamatsu didn't mind. Ragged as he may be, the wind demon can protect himself and the teenagers by creating a powerful shield that can withstand the waters. For now, Kasamatsu's on cloud nine as he could finally unleash his pent up frustrations. The screams and gurgles of the thieves as if the melodies of the angels to his ears, while the sight of a flooded port as if a masterpiece.

But unfortunately, all goods things must come to an end.

After a while of savoring the view, Kasamatsu gathered all the waters again, dragging the thieves along. They followed the serpent's will and assembled right above the demon. A flick of his head and the salt water separate into a couple of blobs with a criminal inside of them. He was then quick to froze them before they could do anything funny, sealing them inside the ice prison.

And just like that, all was over.

Almost.

 _"Akashi-kun! Shoot that owl!"_ Kuroko's voice yelled through the link. The fox could be seen standing on top of a warehouse roof before leaping off onto a stack of shipping containers that miraculously didn't get washed up by the flood. _"Hurry, before it gets away!"_

Seijuro scanned the skies as he formed a bow of ice. Twin ruby eyes having a hard time finding the supposed demon before he caught sight of it, flying with much difficulty as the avian had one of its wings broken and what looked like a slash wound on its back.

Although he felt pity for the demon, Seijuro knew he's still on a mission. So with the bow gripped tight in one hand, the other pulling the string taut with an ice arrow in between his fingers, he took aim. It didn't take long for the single arrow to pierce the skies and stabbed itself to the owl's other wing.

With a scream, the owl fell from the sky towards the sea. Seconds before plunging into the waters, Kise manipulated his element to make a cushion. The owl fell onto it, already unconscious as Seijuro went to the edge, wanting to pick it up when the demon was brought closer to land.

When it was up close, the owl was actually beautiful. The feathers white with gray undertones, the talons nice and sharp as the wings even though they weren't fully spread were actually large and impressive. Seijuro saw the wounds covering its body, both shallow and deep cuts marred it. The most concerning one is the one he inflicted. The arrow went through to the other side, and the human had this urge to pull it out, but that would only make the blood flow more. Something that he couldn't afford to do right now, seeing its condition.

Seijuro rose from his crouching position, cradling the owl gently in his arms as he approached his friends. He could see the special police forces had arrived at the scene, sealing off the place and was now in the middle of escorting the criminals into a couple of cars and sealing the demons inside prison cubes. Kuroko approached him, checking at the shadow demon in his arms. He probably felt a kind of kinship with the avian seeing as they're from the same tribe, feeling guilty and responsible. But even though both of them didn't want to, the owl will have to be handed to the police for interrogation.

So with a ruffle to Kuroko's head, he approached a police, handing the other shadow demon to the man with a request to heal it and gently handle the wounds. The man nodded, assuring him not to worry as he carried the owl away in his arms with the same gentleness that Seijuro mustered up for it.

Unbeknownst to both Seijuro and Kuroko, a pair of dull gray eyes watched them the whole time through slightly opened eyelids before they closed shut completely when the owner was handed to another human. Darkness claimed it as it was sucked inside a prison cube.

"Well, mission accomplished," Kuroko said, already in his human form. "Good job, Akashi-kun." He held up a fist.

"You too, Kuroko." Seijuro bumped his fist with his demon's.

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. There's not much I want to say about this chapter as it's all about me explaining Seijuro's life as an S-rank from here on. I introduced another Seirin member here, Takao. I did my best with his character and his interaction with Midorima. Hopefully, they're in character. Although, I made them a bit comical... I really hope the action scene is enjoyable. I tried to describe it so you guys who're reading it could at least imagine how the mission went for them. A bit of a sidenote, when on a mission, S-ranks are given something akin to military garbs to wear.

And I hope you guys get the references I slipped in this chapter. I'll be sure to point out which ones in next chapter.

Final note, I changed a bit of the detail in the last chapter when I said that the earth element needs to be attached to something. I changed from soil and body to object and body. I initially planned to type object but then I don't know why I ended up typing soil. Stupid me…

Now that I'm done rambling, the reviews!

~Hyuann: You know, I didn't realize it until you pointed it out but last chapter had all four of them in some sort of unexpected and/or unwanted situation. They have a way of messing around with each other, huh? Last chapter is weird, I know, but I'm glad you had fun reading! I'm actually relieved you liked the last bit. The words were already typed up even before my mind could catch up, goodness. Haha, yeah, finally Seijuro, finally! Thanks for reviewing and don't mention it. Stay strong, and I hope real life treats you well. I'm also looking forward to typing more chapters in the future.

~Rinfantasy: Haha! I also think that Kuroko will be annoyed every time he sees a mochi or if someone requested to play that game with him. I can totally imagine him being ticked off and just ends the game quickly. I knew some of you guys wanted to see Seishuro's reaction but to tell you the truth, I purposely left that out. Glad you like the training part!

~Kairo Lupin: Thank you! Really? I thought him going into S-rank would be obvious. But I guess that's just me... Seijuro's acceptance into S-rank? Well, you have to wait for the later chapters for that. The part where Seijuro was being recognized was written by accident. The words were typed before my mind could catch up... For the rest, well, it'll be explained in the later chapters. I'll try to post new chapters faster and also looking forward to writing them. And before I forget. Remember your last review where you guessed Kise's element? I said you were not that far off the mark. Well, it's because his element is still in the same jurisdiction as the lightning element, which is the moon's jurisdiction.

~SesilliaS: Yup, you're right! Finally! But unfortunately, I can't answer your questions since doing so will spoil all the fun. And I'll try to update as fast as I can.

~xXxPhantomxXx: There's more to Kuroko than meets the eye. I'll slowly reveal them. I'm glad I made you laugh. I know! The mochi scene is ridiculous but It's Kuroko, he has a knack for the unexpected. Glad you like the omakes! I'll be sure to keep them up.

~Zleihsh: Hello! :) I thank you for being patient and reading my fic. And my life? Haha, well, it is stressful. College contributed to that a lot as assignments kept on appearing out of nowhere. But I guess that's just how it is, and I already finished all of them, so I'm enjoying the free time, for now... I'm healthy, but insomnia and dizziness will sometimes strike me.

But I digress.

I'm really glad you like the developing character. I just feel like his character wasn't explored much since he appeared almost at the end of the series. I made him a bit, uh, unperfect(?) and gave him more emotions just to make him feel closer to the readers since well, that's what I want a character to be when I read a story. And this story is already ridiculous and out of reach for all of us to begin with, (people having supernatural powers by contracting demons that could double as friendly magical companions... Yeah, can't make it any more strange than that). The "perfect/polite" speech is just an indication of his upbringing. Also to keep him in character. Although, that particular detail had me switching his words over and over to make him sound as formal as possible. I think I missed some, where he talks a bit informally... I don't know. And there were times when I just can't find the right words and just let them be...

Kuroko's a cunning little dorky fox! He's a bit strange. Well, I think he's also strange in the real series! Him and Seijuro's relationship? Haha, I don't know. My mind kept on brewing ideas and often made me change the flow of the story. Add that to the ever-growing story, and you got a jumbled mess XD.

I already anticipated this, but to tell you the truth I purposely left out Seishuro's reaction. You're right about Seishuro being a big fish in a small pond, I think I dropped a few details indicating him to be that. But unfortunately, I can't reveal much further than what I've told you in this story. Don't worry though, everything will be revealed slowly, and I'll take your thoughts and ideas into consideration.

Life as a full-fledged S-rank has begun, how will Kuroko and Seijuro react? Well, this whole chapter is explaining about that. Hope you liked it though...

I didn't initially plan on creating two oc's, but then my fingers have a mind on their own, and before I knew it, the words were already typed even before my mind could catch up. I'm thinking of switching POV's in the later chapters. I already did Kasamatsu's although not much. I'm thinking of making a whole chapter from maybe Kuroko's POV or even Seishuro's. It's just to give the readers a different opinion on the whole story, get into their heads and learn more about their side of the story and not just Seijuro's. You're right with your saying of 'an object can only have a shape when looked from another angle.'

The father. Now, this one's a bit hard. But I'll have to kindly ask you to run along with your imagination for now since revealing anything now will spoil the fun :). Although I really like to read other people's opinions of a chapter and their questions. They help me with finding loopholes and such.

When I read the last bit of your review, it got me thinking. You applaud me for me reading your random thoughts, then what should I do? You read my terribly long story, waited for my slow updates, and even spared the time to type a review! Tell me, what should I do? Rip off Kuroko's tail and mail it to your house? HAHAHA XD. (Make it into a keychain, and then you'll have two!)

Anyway thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts in the reviews! I'll be sure to update more chapters in the future as fast as I can. Don't worry, everyone's ideas and opinions are kept in a special corner in my brain. You too, stay strong and healthy, alright?

~DJ Candy: Goodness, please stand up. Don't worry, it's alright! Real life is a pain, so there will be times where they demand us to finish whatever it is they decided to dump on us. Well, hope you don't fail on your summer classes, and your computer made up with you again.

First ever hang out! Woohoo! That wrong address thing was more or less from experience. I didn't know the place and decided to ask people, and each them gave me different directions… Ended up with me going around in circles, having a couple of mental outbursts, and almost fainted from the heat, hahaha! Really? I thought math is a lot easier than chemistry and physics. Fun fact: whenever I try to type 'Seishuro' my computer will correct it into 'seizure.' So annoying.

Wielding is dangerous. That little description is my own way of telling the readers that power comes with their own drawbacks. Oh, he's mortified. Especially when he saw Kise growing a sunflower and him only the roots. My God! I laughed when I read the 'look it's you!' part. I can already imagine the bickering that would ensue. Goodness! I should've thought about that and added the 'insult' into the last chapter. Well, too late I guess.

I imagined Seijuro to be a bit socially awkward since he didn't have friends before. I mean, sure he works in a café, but that's more of a professional relationship rather than a carefree kind. It's different.

I know! He did it! He just shot up to S-rank! You know, I was about to write the description like "At the calling of his name, Seijuro separated himself from his line and walked towards the stage. The whole gym went eerily quiet when he did that as the soft clicks of his shoes reverberated throughout the place, being able to be heard by all who was present. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed his every movement like a predator would to its prey, while his own shadow shifted. It peeled itself from the polished wooden floor and rose to walk alongside the teen. The sound of his footsteps suddenly having another companion as the sharp clicks merged with soft clacks of wooden sandals. Not even a second later the shadow dispersed in a flurry of particles, the teal haired demon materialized with his trademark blank face. All who witnessed that marveled at the sight, but both Seijuro and Kuroko paid them no mind as they ascended the stairs, coming to a stop beside the principal who had already positioned himself in front of the podium." But then I read it over and thought it was too long. So I cut it short. I know people would be itching to know Seishuro's reaction, but I purposely left it out. The petty person inside you will have to wait for the petty person inside me to reveal it.

Yup! Kuroko's not broke anymore! Well, he did have money just that the ones he had were not valid anymore… Guess that's the same thing as not having any, huh.

To be honest, I don't know what to do with Yuko and Narumi. I haven't had any plans for them yet. But I guess my mind keeps on coming up with ideas, so we'll never know. So, did you get a picture of life in the Akashi household? Cruel, huh? Now I feel sorry for Seijuro…

Omake 1: They're not old. They're freaking ancient! Yeah, magical water is suspicious… Kise is always getting kicked, even in the original series! Kuroko always gets into so much shit. The original series made him so. I just followed the artist's example XD.

Omake 2: Me too…

Omake 3: He's annoyed and probably torn between killing the pastry or worshiping it since it also gave him a fortune. Last chapter's Seijuro is a sadist? Then tell me your thoughts about this chapter's Seijuro. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm actually quite fond of Shakespeare's works. They're interesting, beautiful, and entertaining at the same time.

Bad opinions about being Seijuro's friend? Can't tell you~ People getting envious of Seijuro? Well, what do you think? I personally am torn between yes, no, in between, and let my brain shut down for a second. Goodness, my mind's a mess.

It's okay to write long reviews here. I personally enjoy reading them be it short or long. I mean, this chapter is around thirty pages long...

#

Well, guess I'm done here. Thanks again for those who had read this fic, reviewed, and clicked on the like and/or favorite button. I apologize for any misspellings and/or any grammatical errors you may find. Hope you had fun reading and have a great day!

* * *

Omake - Promise

"Well, mission accomplished," Kuroko said, already in his human form. "Good job, Akashi-kun." He held up a fist.

"You too, Kuroko." Seijuro bumped his fist with his demon's.

"So, how did you arrive here so fast?"

"Oh, that-"

"Oi! Seijuro, Kuroko, take over reporting to the police!" Kasamatsu called for them, cutting off Seijuro's answer.

"Where are you going?"

"I got some business to attend to." Kuroko tilted his head, not understanding. That is until he saw Kasamatsu walk over the edge and heaved. Kise and Midorima could be seen doing the same. Seems like they finally felt the after effect of Seijuro's driving after the adrenaline has run out.

"Akashi-kun, what did you do?"

"My, do they not enjoy the 'joy ride?'"

"Wait. So that flying truck..."

Seijuro only chuckled, but that alone was more than enough of an answer. "Now, I have my own 'business' to attend myself."

Kuroko once again was confused, so he let his eyes follow his wielder. The red head could be seen walking towards a specific police car. He gathered the elements around and changed his dagger he brought into a wooden hammer.

"Good morning, sir." Kuroko heard his wielder's silky voice say as he opened the door. "By chance, do you still remember me?"

A man with his legs bandaged squeaked with shock, face paling.

"Ah, so you still remember." Seijuro allowed a broad smile to grace his features, the sun rising from the horizon behind him cast his face with a shadow.

The man stared in horror, shaking his head frantically as beads of cold sweat ran down his face. When Seijuro came in and sat beside him, his face had a blue sheen to it.

"How are your legs? I see the police treated them well." Seijuro slapped the thighs like most people would when they were chilling together. Although, this one is more of torture instead of a friendly gesture. With each slap, a squeak would emit. "But it seems like they haven't healed your vocal cords yet. Not to worry, I'm sure they will heal you in due time."

"Now the reason I'm here is to fulfill my promise. I do hope you also remember." The man shook his head again, face red from enduring the pain as tears rolled down.

"You do not remember?" Seijuro knew the gesture was not indicating that, but he would like to play the oblivious one once in a while. "Shall I assist you in remembering?" He brandished the hammer from behind his back. "I apologize that it is not a bat, but I am in a sour mood now. So," Crimson eyes glinted dangerously. "are you prepared?"

The man squeaked, trying to escape. But it was proven futile with the condition of his legs, his hands bound with special handcuffs that won't allow him to use any elements, and the deranged teen blocking the way. Scooting to the other door would take too long.

"Resistance if futile. Do not worry, it will only hurt for a while." Seijuro held up the hammer. "I do hope you utilize that brain of yours before running your mouth in the future."

*WHAM!*

A squeal akin to a slaughtered pig's voice resounded. The people in the area gave that particular police car a wide berth.

"Do try to sit straight, spread your legs, and raise your hands from your lap. We do not want them getting hit by accident, right?"

"Holy Shit!" Takao exclaimed as he winced at every hit Seijuro gave to the sacred jewels.

"Ah, Akashi-kun. How much you've grown. Your demon is very proud of you." Kuroko said with the pride of a fath- uh, great great great (insert around a million greats) grandfather.

Takao looked at Kuroko horrified.

"Now that I'm done here, I still have another task to do." Seijuro's voice said. The teen stepped out, swinging the hammer like one would with a shopping bag. His face sprinkled with blood. The man squeaked pitifully behind him, scarred for life.

The crowd parted for the teen. "Where is Midorima?" A dark chuckle as the hammer transformed into an ice ax. "I also have some unfinished business with him."

"Whoa, Sei-chan!" Takao ran and stood in front of the teen. "What did Shin-chan ever do to you?"

"Your wielder dared to insinuate about my height." Was the brief explanation. "Now, stand aside, I shall hack off his legs. Let him have a taste of what it feels like to be short." Seijuro pushed Takao away and approached Midorima. "And there is also the distraction that almost cost an innocent cat's life. Should I also hack off his tongue to render him 'speechless?'"

"Wha- wait! Tet-chan, do something!"

Kuroko had this dreamy look on his face. Words cannot explain how proud he is.

"SHIN-CHAN, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Exams

"I'm glad that's over." Takao said as he stretched his arms above his head, earning a couple of pops when he did that. All six of them had just finished reporting the results of their mission to the principal and was now walking through a long corridor, heading towards the gates.

"It wasn't that long, you made it sound like it lasted for hours." Kasamatsu exasperatedly said.

"I was never good at these kind of things anyway. They're your thing, Yu-chan."

"I agree with that." Kuroko interjected, nodding.

"Both of you are just too lazy." A sigh. "Well, at least Midorima and Seijuro helped."

"Hmph! I just had to make sure the report was flawless, nanodayo." Midorima fixed his glasses up. "It's not like I wanted to help you."

"Aw, Shin-chan!" Takao warped his wielder's neck with one arm. "You're such a tsundere. Just admit that you're worried that Yu-chan would mess up." He laughed when the green haired teen denied his statement and started yelling at him otherwise.

Seijuro shook his head at the sight. Seems like Takao is a Tsundere translator since the hawk could practically see through Midorima and spew out his real intentions. One look at Kuroko and Kasamatsu told him that both of them thought the same. Sometimes he thinks that Midorima should be more true to himself. Because in the end, all his efforts to behave nonchalant and uncaring went down the drain.

"I wanted to ask you something, Seijurocchi." Kise suddenly asked, unintentionally ending the bickerings of the duo.

"What is it?" Seijuro glanced the blonde's way.

"How can you drive?" At the question, four other pairs of eyes looked at his way, waiting for his response, silently urging him to answer.

"To be honest, I can't." Came the unexpected response. Everyone blinked in slight confusion and disbelief. "I just observed Midorima drive, remembering which pedal is the accelerator, which one is the breaks, and so on. And It's not like I've never taken a cab. I always observe the driver whenever I did, sometimes even chatting with them." He touched his chin in thought. "Although at that time, it was more of the spur of the moment than me actually driving. I've never sat on a driver's seat, let alone drive before."

"And the route?"

"Akashi-kun and I had already memorized the roads and walked around the area before," Kuroko answered in place of Seijuro. "And I believe you know why, Kise-kun."

The model sheepishly scratched his head. "But my mistake actually help with today, right?"

"It did, but your mistake won't help you with Monday." Kasamatsu said. But then he saw the blond giving him the expression of confusion, trying to remember the seemingly important thing for the next day. "Don't tell me you forgot."

"Monday's the first day of mid term exams, nanodayo." The answer came from Midorima.

"What?! Why didn't anybody tell me?!"

"We were on a mission, remember?" Kasamatsu rolled his eyes. "And shouldn't you know that already? You're a student here, right?" That earned a groan of depression from the blond.

"Better hurry up and study if you want to participate in the grand games," Takao said playfully, patting Kise's shoulder. "but if you fail then that just means one less opponent to defeat, right, Shin-chan?" He laughed again as Midorima merely adjusted his glasses.

"Are the exams a prerequisite for the grand games?" Kuroko asked the others.

"You can say it like that, but in truth, it just that they have to take the make up exams if they score in the bottom one hundred." Takao explained.

"And those make up exams are held during the first rounds of the grand games." Kasamatsu finished as he nudged Kise with an elbow. "And from what I heard, this guy here almost didn't make it last time."

"I missed the bottom one hundred by one," Kise said. "I was really lucky back then."

"More like a miracle," Takao interjected. "and one thing we know about miracles is that they won't happen a second time." A sing-song tone accompanied the last bit of the sentence.

Midorima scoffed. "Depending on miracles alone won't get you far along life, nanodayo." Then he held up his plushie for all to see, as if it was a holy talisman. "One needs to have their lucky item on hand to succeed. Man proposes, God disposes."

"It seems academic prowess is a vital thing nowadays." The teal head mumbled off, ignoring Kasamatsu's inquiry about Midorima's last statement. "Maybe you should start studying too, Akashi-kun." He said the last one to the red head who was silently walking beside him.

"I'll review the materials at night. I need to head off to work." Was the answer, ignoring the blink of disbelief courtesy of Midorima and Kasamatsu.

"What?! Seijurocchi, you're not going to study?!" While Kise practically yelled in a flabbergasted manner, vocalizing his surprise.

"I already studied months before, in chopped off sections when ever I have the time. And I remembered the teacher's lectures and explanations. The homeworks they gave also helped a lot." They arrived at the gates as the answer rolled off his tongue. "The materials aren't really that hard."

"Then can you help me again with studying?" The blond pleaded.

"If you can win at the cafe challenge, then yes." Kise visibly deflated at the response. Akashi smiled at this and patted his arm. "Just study from the notes I gave you. I already summarized them, and you also add in your own notes, right? I'm sure you can pass the exams if you study from those. Have more faith in yourself." He got a solemn nod as his answer. "Well, I guess we part ways here. Thank you for your hard work." And both Seijuro and Kuroko went to the opposite direction that the others took.

* * *

It was raining cats and dogs outside. The sun held hostage for a while until the weather decided to free it. This resulted in the sky turning into a dreadful gray color as lightning would sometimes pierce the stormy clouds and strike down to let out a booming roar that reverberated in one's heart. Little droplets of water fell and crashed into the ground below, making the all round air moist and cold.

To some people, they believed that rain is a blessing, nature's gift to all. The little droplets said to wash away all the impurities and grant miracles to the earth. Some said that the thunder and lightning are actually deities fighting for dominance, or the wrath of the gods as they argue with each other. While others said that the howling winds are actually whispers of the spirits, telling them the secrets of the future and life.

With so many years passing by, it came with no wonder that myths would appear and spread, sometimes resurfacing, often times left forgotten. And to the students of Teiko Academy, it was the latter as they have more pressing matters to attend to.

Some of the heaven's tears connected to the glass window of a certain classroom, pitter pattering as some clung to the transparent glass and others slid down to leave behind wet tracks. They sounded unnaturally loud in the silence of the class. The scribbling of the pens drowned by the crashing rain, but the pandemonium outside was oddly soothing, a contrast to the sight before them.

Some might think they were witnessing a gruesome incident, others thought something devastating happened. And to students, both statements are true, but to others, they were just exaggerating.

They were staring at a paper, filled with various questions, demanding to be answered.

Yes, they were in the middle of exams.

And with exams, frustration, stress, and desperation would follow. As a result, some would resort to cheating, secretly pulling out their tiny cheat sheet or quietly whispering to their neighbor. Some of them suddenly suffering from deafness while others were kind enough to give the answers. Whether they were right or wrong didn't matter, trust was crucial in this matter, questioning them isn't advisable.

But not all of them were like that. Somewhere hidden in the mass of lazy students were those who actually studied, confident of their answers, and not plagued by the worry of failing. One of those students is Seijuro who was too busy with jotting down the answers into his paper, too focused to pay the world around him any mind, oblivious to the others' plea of help.

On the corner of his table, a transparent cube sat, the insides hosting his demonic jewel. Actually, all of the students have one on their table, perching close to the edge, gleaming whenever the light from the lightning hit them, innocently waiting for the seals to be broken by the teacher who stood at the front of the class. Eyes as sharp as a hawk's as they wandered around the room, scanning the students for any signs of cheating the best he could.

"Fifteen minutes." The sound of the teacher's voice traveled through the room, frightening them and making the movement of their hands more frantic than before, trying to solve the questions quicker.

And those short fifteen minutes flew by in a flash as the bell rung, signaling the end of the last day of the exams.

"On the count of ten, I want all of your papers to be in my hands. One! Two!..." The teacher said to the class as he began the count without so much of a warning. All scrambled to submit their test, and when the last paper settled on the stack, a snap of the fingers successfully broke the seals. The top of the cube popped open, and the demons were all too eager to come out.

"Akashi-kun, how did you fare on your exam?" Was the first thing Kuroko said when he materialized, bleary eyed as he stifled a yawn.

"Fairly well I suppose." He tidied up his desk. "And I see you had a good rest." Because that atrocious bed hair wouldn't lie. Maybe he needs to bring a hair brush for him since Kuroko literary spend his time sleeping while he studied.

"It was boring. And I'm not the only one who decided to spend the time inside that cube to sleep." And it was true, all around, the demons who had just appeared could be seen yawning, rubbing their eyes, or stretching their limbs. Almost all of them still half asleep with their movements sluggish.

"It would seem so." The human absentmindedly said as he took his necklace and clasped it around his neck.

"Now that the exams are over, you can participate in the games, right?" Kuroko inquired, rubbing his eyes, trying to chase away the sleep that still lingered.

Seijuro took off his glasses and placed them inside its case that he had just pulled out of his bag. "Normally I would say yes, but this is only the written exams. I also need to take the practical exams now that I have contracted you."

"So there are two types of exams here?" A tilt of the head, a sign of confusion.

"Yes, one is the written ones like today's while the other one is the practical ones where we demonstrate our mastery of elements to the teachers," Seijuro explained. "which is quite worrisome. I need to practice if I want to pass."

"Mastery of elements vary depending on the human, energies, and the element they are trying to master." Kuroko pointed out. "How are they supposed to judge the students' ability when there are so many factors that can decide their success?"

The red haired human shook his head. "I'm not quite sure. This is my first time taking the practical exam. But from what I heard, they would materialize a phantasma field that will balance the energies and ask us to use our primary element."

"So only primary elements are allowed in the exams?" Asked the demon.

"No, other elements are allowed, but they'll focus more on primary ones. But if you can demonstrate a high mastery of other elements too then that will be a plus." He answered.

"I see." The teal head mumbled off, processing the information. "Which teacher will oversee the exam? And what are their criteria of mastery?"

"As I said, I'm not sure. Some would like to see spells being cast, others passed the students with just element manipulation." Seijuro furrowed his brows in thought. "The teachers who take our scores are random, so we won't know the criteria."

"When will the exams start?"

"Next week. Students can take the exams whenever they feel ready within that one week."

Kuroko hummed, thinking for a while. "Next week... That's quite the predicament. But not to worry, I know a sure fire way for you to pass with flying colors."

Seijuro perked up at the statement. "Would you be so kind as to elaborate?"

"Of course," Kuroko said. "now, have you ever heard of an element contradiction?"

"I read it once in a book some time ago," Seijuro admitted. "it's where an element defies the laws of physics and nature."

"Yes, that's absolutely right. You always know it all." Kuroko commented before continuing. "Mastery of elements have many forms and with many forms comes with many opinions and arguments. Some say that being able to cast spells is a show of high level of mastery, while others say that one needs to be able to use artes along with the spells, or maybe being able to apply one's element to their being counts too. But with so many years slipping past us, one still cannot deny a person's mastery if they can conjure an element contradiction."

"But simple element manipulation is already a contradiction, no?" The human pointed out. "Wielding is already something that deviates common sense."

"It'll be easier if I give you an example." The demon said instead of answering. Then with a slight twitch of his fingers, his own shadow rose." Remember this?" He then let the darkness stand in front of the desk, ramrod straight. "I made a doll to fight in your steed during our match with Kise-kun and Kasamatsu-san." Seijuro nodded, Kuroko continued. "You may not have noticed back then, but this alone is already a contradiction." He patted the obsidian doll. "Shadows aren't supposed to stand up like this, they usually lay flat on an object's surface and move along with the person. But this one is standing still and not copying my movements." To prove his point, Kuroko lifted up an arm, but the black doll stood still, maintaining its posture.

"Another thing is that I currently have no shadow attached to my being." Seijuro blinked before standing up from his seat to look at the floor near where Kuroko was standing. And there isn't a patch of shade connected to his demon. "Although this counts as a contradiction, this isn't really something impressive that can earn the teachers' approval. Every person who wields the shadow element is expected to be able to do this much." He then let it move to walk around them and sit on the seat previously occupied by Seijuro.

"So to further up the standards, you need to apply another element" Kuroko flicked his hand, and the obsidian shadow shifted and transformed into a spitting image of Seijuro. "I shaped the shadow and applied my secondary element onto it. One needs to have the right amount of energy and carefulness to be able to do this as the elements are more delicate here. Applying another element into the initial one adds to the difficulty of maintaining it even though its only first and secondary elements."

Ruby eyes scanned the other 'him' there, marveling at the sight. And when he pushed away the crimson strands to reveal the ear, his amazement just grew even more. Kuroko had all the details down to pat, from the length of the hair, the color, to the slight nick at the ear he got when he accidentally fell from a tree during his childhood days. Even the hands felt real as if made of flesh. "But unfortunately, this also requires a lot of my energy, so I will have to dissipate it now."

The doll then dispersed to land near Kuroko, laying on the floor again to return as a normal shadow. "Something like that is definitely not normal, right? To be able to see it moving without me, touching it as if it is a real human being. Similar to those perfect clones that could be found in fictions, no?" He paused for a bit before continuing. "The contradiction I just created is one where I imbue another element to the initial one. It's more complicated than regular ones like, for example, making a rock float on water. But which ever type contradiction you choose, doing so requires a lot and one that I have no doubt will impress the teachers. Do you think you can do it?"

And when the human didn't answer, he added. "I admit this is not a feat that can be accomplished easily and will require intense training. I won't be surprised if you are unable to conjure one." He then placed a pale hand on the red head's shoulder. "Forgive me, I may have set the standards too high. Please forget what I have just said."

Cerulean eyes then traveled to the window, witnessing the raging winds and dark clouds outside. The sky weeping as students spilled out from the entrance of the school, heading back home from a stressful week. "We should be on our way. You brought your umbrella, right?"

"Yes, I brought it." Seijuro rummaged his bag to pull out the said item.

"Then let's go." Kuroko then made a traditional umbrella from his element, gripping it firmly. "I do hope the rain would cease soon. Weather such as this is unbefitting for a day where the sufferings end."

* * *

A pen glided across a notebook's paper. It danced to leave behind scribbles in its wake, scratching the surface and creating a soft sound that seems to be too loud in the silence of the garden. Ink marred the white of the paper as it continued its movements before suddenly coming to a halt, the tip stopped a mere inch from continuing its trail. One second passed as it hovered uncertainly, and the next, without so much as a warning, the whole page parted from the wire bindings, crumpled into a messy ball before being thrown into the blue flame that floated innocently beside the teen. The fire flared as it consumed the paper before settling back into its former state, continuing to be a silent company for its conjurer, scaring away the darkness of the night and radiating warmth that seeped into the bones.

"That won't work." He mumbled off, frowning deeply before leaning his back on the wooden bench he was now currently sitting on.

Akashi Seijuro had used the remaining of the day thinking about what Kuroko said earlier at the academy. Element Contradiction, it was something he had not thought about until the teal haired demon brought it out. And while he admits that it was astounding, to actually achieve such a feat is something near impossible to most people.

To make the most absurd thing real, to bring about the fairy tale into reality. That was the objective. But with the limited repertoire of elements at his disposal, it'll be some time for him to actually find a way around this predicament.

 _'I won't be surprised if you are unable to conjure one. Forgive me, I may have set the standards too high.'_ Kuroko's words suddenly echoed inside his mind. It irked him how even when the fox was asleep, he could still find some way to lower his mood. But somewhere inside his mind, he had to admit, with a heavy heart, that he understands. Why else would he be awake at this awkward hour, sitting in the middle of the garden, surrounded by lush plants, and tearing page after page of his notebook every five minutes?

It was frustrating how the contradictions he could think of mainly consists of first elements -which he couldn't conjure for some reason or requires other elements that he hadn't yet learned.

He made to grab his pen again, holding it in a way to prepare himself to write again. But several minutes passed by and not a single thing came to his mind, making his hands go limp again. It was rare, moments like this, where he was lost and doesn't know what to do.

But when it did come, he always decides to stop. Letting both the mind and body rest.

So with a disappointed sigh, he stood up and walked towards the mansion, the blue flame following him closely like a little fairy. His feet brought him closer to his destination, and on the way, he passed by a fountain. The light of the flame making the water glimmer as his eyes caught sight of a single leaf that lay at the bottom. It was odd, he absentmindedly stated in his mind, leaves usually float on the surface, not sinking and laying there on the bottom.

But then Seijuro thought it doesn't matter, what he saw apparently disagrees with his logic. And he actually came here to test something that he'd wanted to do since he discovered his element.

So he sat on the edge and let his flame get near the water with a twitch of a single finger. A hand let the water touched it, feeling the cold sting before he cupped some of it and splashed it to the cobalt fire.

The water jumped into to fire, but soul flame didn't waver, didn't move. It was surprising but not unexpected. Being fire's secondary element, soul flames are expected to be stronger. Able to burn down things faster and not leaving anything in its wake. Although it does require more energy to wield, something like that is a befitting compensation to the power it holds.

He tried it again, this time splashing more water to the blue flame, only to get the same result. So with a raised hand and a flick of his wrist, Seijuro let the fire dive into the fountain's water.

But it didn't die out like he initially thought. Instead, it kept on burning bright, the light it produced distorted by the ripples of the water and making the clear liquid glow an ethereal blue. And Seijuro noted with surprise that when his element reached the leaf at the bottom, it actually burned it. The ashes then scattered across the waters before the flame finally died.

When darkness returned, the teen sat in silence, dumbfounded at the sight he had just witnessed. And before he knew it he was suddenly struck by an idea and scrambled to jot it down in his notebook. He didn't care if he couldn't really see much with the scarce moon beams being his only means of lighting, nor did he care if his handwriting came out messy. Letting what was on his mind now flow into the paper is what matters, afraid of what he had just thought slipped past him with each passing second. At the sides, he added little notes that listed the possibilities and how he wanted to shape the elements, scribbling every detail he could.

With this, he was sure he could ace the test. Just need to practice, perfect it, and entering the grand games will be something guaranteed.

Now to do some research at the library. He could not afford to waste any time.

And the next morning found Kuroko standing by his side with an amused smile at the sight he was seeing. Seijuro was in the library, sitting on a chair with his head and arms on a table covered with books and papers. Apparently, he had fallen asleep when doing his research and didn't return to his room.

Well, no need to wake him up. It's Sunday after all.

* * *

"May I request you to summon your demon?"

After days of training came the day Seijuro decided to choose to finally take the exams, which was Thursday. You might think that he should've taken the exams the next day, take another day of training to further prepare himself. But there's an unwritten rule when it comes to practical exams in Teiko Academy, one common knowledge that everybody would know, should know, and that is the students that would take the exam would increase the later you take it. So that means, hardly any students took the exams on Mondays, something the student council members took advantage of, like his brother, Kise and Midorima did. While Friday is the day where most of the students would flow to the gyms to register their names, sitting in the stands to wait for their names to be called.

Even now, the gym was almost full of them, all jittery and nervous. Squirming in their seats and bitting their nails.

The red haired teen nodded, silently summoning the little fox out of the jewel. "Kuroko, would you be so kind as to sit there, inside the circle?" The demon turned his head to the mentioned red shape on the floor, besides the teacher's table. "It's a requirement, similar to the cube during the written exams."

 _"Alright."_ And he turned his back on him, paws pitter pattering on the wooden floor of the gym before Kuroko stepped inside, sitting innocently with his tail lazily swishing left and right. Slitted cerulean eyes met ruby eyes before a telepathic _"Good luck."_ was uttered, which was replied by a short nod.

"Primary element?" Harasawa-sensei asked, writing something on an exam sheet.

"Fire." Seijuro answered curtly.

"First element or secondary element?"

"Secondary."

The teacher nodded absentmindedly, scribbling more words on the paper. "Any items you'd like to use in this exam?"

"Yes." A hand rummaged his pockets and produced a pack of seeds, a couple of rocks the size of bottle caps, and a worn out handkerchief.

"Alright. You have five minutes to show off your mastery. Your demon isn't allowed to interfere in any way. Do that, and I will not give you a passing grade." And Kuroko mentally noted how the warning didn't really matter. The circle is a magic imbued one, currently preventing him from utilizing his abilities. Him sitting there is like degrading himself into a regular fox. He wondered if the teacher said that just to trick the students or just plain didn't know about the hidden attribute of the seemingly innocent circle.

But he couldn't entertain the thought any further because right after the teacher said his warning, he threw a cube to the air. And the familiar phantasma field materialized with the rippling of the energies around, transforming the gym into a blank white room. "Begin."

When the word 'begin' was heard, Seijuro took a deep breath to calm himself before immediately materializing his element. Blue flames appeared to dance above him, swirling gracefully around in the air, following a silent tune of itself. While the fires were busy gliding, he ripped open the packet of seeds, poured a little bit of the contents into the handkerchief, and buried them with the rocks. Securing it with a tight knot and deeming it won't spill, he threw the bundle up.

The seeds rocketed up, reaching its highest point in a matter of seconds and was a split second away from being pulled back down by gravity. But the flames that were once dancing about flew to catch it before the bundle fall, devouring it as the blue element transformed into a blazing ball. The seeds held hostage in the middle, unharmed, not burning. This led to Harasawa-sensei raising an eyebrow.

Oblivious to the slight surprise the teacher secretly displayed, the student materialized yet again another element. This time ice formed, tiny gleaming particles that floated in the air, looking like glittering stars. A hand flicked to the side, towards the flames, which the other element obeyed as they move to station themselves near the burning sphere.

Another element, another contradiction. This time the ice did not melt like regular ones would. Instead, when Seijuro raised his hands towards the ice he conjured, palms facing them, the crystalline particles spread. They grew, spreading, getting thicker and thicker before finally, they covered the entire sphere, coating it to make it take the appearance of a glowing cobalt ball.

Next, he took a couple of steps back, creating some distance as the sphere fluttered down. A soft thump indicated that it had touched the ground, sitting still. Frost traveled from the bottom stabilize it as to not let it roll all over the place. When that was done, Seijuro once again raised his hands towards it.

Right after that, Kuroko who sensed the energies the red haired teen tried to manipulate, immediately stood up, no longer sitting lazily on the floor as the situation suddenly turned dire. Muscles tense and body posture looked as if he was about to charge forward. The only thing stopping him is the circle drawn on the ground around him. The teacher seemed to think the same as he looked ready to interfere at the slightest error, a hand raised to the front of his chest, preparing for the worst.

But Seijuro didn't notice the panic Kuroko and Harasawa-sensei felt, or maybe he ignored it completely. He kept on manipulating the energies, making the bundle in the heart of the ball shake. It quivered, trembled, shook, and finally, sprouts broke through the fabric, ripping it apart, and attaching themselves to the rocks. A couple of seconds was all the time it took for the tiny plants to brave the flames and break through the ice, cracking it before finally shattering it into a million pieces.

And in the span of a minute, a gigantic apple tree appeared. It stood tall with its leaves lush, the trunk firm, the roots strong, the fruits red and mouthwatering. The ice and flames got bested by the plant who persevered and came out victorious. Satisfied by the size of the tree, he wasted no time to approach it and hit the trunk hard, letting a couple of the fruits fall which got caught by the tendrils that grew out from the trunk. They placed the fruits on the wooden basket Seijuro created. One slash from an ice sword was enough to make the basket of apples detach from the tree's roots.

Right after that, the phantasma field dispersed. The blank room melting away, returning the sight of the gym again. But Seijuro didn't pay any mind to it, he walked towards the teacher's table and placed one of the apples he had on the wooden surface. "This is for you, Harasawa-Sensei."

"Three-way element contradiction." The man sat back down, letting out a sigh of relief. Seems like he got worried for nothing. "What a rare sight."

 _"You're just full of surprises, aren't you."_ Kuroko leaped on his shoulders and slapped a paw to the side of his head. _"For a second, I thought that the elements would explode."_

"But they didn't." Seijuro brushed away the limb.

 _"I will have to find some way for you to make up for the heart attack you almost caused."_ The fox mumbled darkly, irritated.

"Here is your result sheet." A paper was shoved to his front, prompting the red head to take it. "An excellent performance, Mr. Akashi. Well done."

Calculating eyes scanned the paper that held his personal data. His name and class were scribbled in the top left box, below it is his primary element, what element and items he used, and the remaining space was occupied by a large box that details his demonstration. But it was the top right box that took up his whole attention. Because right there, written with a red marker is an A+.

"Congratulations. You are, without a doubt, qualified for the grand games. Make sure to submit your result to your class teacher." A smile bloomed in his featured as he bowed and made his way towards the exit, wanting to give his paper to his class teacher, grab his bag and head home. There're no lessons this week, and if he's done with his exams, then he's free to leave. Behind him, he could hear Harasawa-sensei calling out another student's name.

* * *

 _"I would like to ask you a question, Akashi-kun."_ Kuroko's voice invaded his mind after Seijuro closed the teacher's room's door shut.

"Yes?"

 _"Why an apple tree?"_ It was a stupid question but one that he couldn't help but get curious over _. "I thought flowers are easier than a fully grown apple tree."_

"I need to impress the teacher. Flowers won't make much of an impression if compared to a tree." He slightly raised his basket. "And these fruits look delicious. Far better in quality than the ones they sell at the markets and grocery stores, no?"

Slitted eyes directed their gaze to the apples. _"They do look juicy."_ Kuroko admitted.

"Right? Koganei-san also asked me to pick up some of these for the apple pies the cafe is going to sell tomorrow." They reached the empty classroom as his feet brought him towards his table.

 _"Apple pie?"_

"It's a name of a pastry." He took his bag and slung it on his other shoulder. "You never had one before?" A shook of the head served as an answer. "Then I have to make sure to pick up some in the forest back home to bake the perfect one for you." He exited the class and walked towards the gates.

 _"There aren't any apple trees in the forest."_ Kuroko pointed out.

"I planted plenty of them, I practiced there after all." He answered nonchalantly, oblivious to the shocked one on his shoulder.

 _"You practiced in the forest?"_ There's a tone of disbelief in the tone of voice Kuroko used.

"Yes. Where else do you think?"

 _"You..."_ And Kuroko leaped off from Seijuro _. "Have you lost your mind?"_ Cerulean eyes stared back at ruby ones. _"You may have a stronger body now that you contracted me but that doesn't mean that you can endanger yourself by using soul flames in the forest and practicing a three-way contradiction without my knowledge."_

"As I said-"

 _"And do you not know how dangerous contradictions like that are? Even a normal one could cause an explosion."_ Kuroko wasn't listening to Seijuro, cutting his explanation off. _"The forest can burn down with your flames. Have you forgotten about our fight against Kise-kun and Kasamatsu-san? What were you thinking? Have you suddenly lost the ability to think straight? Has common sense left your head? If you're training, then summon me."_

"Kuroko-"

 _"Both The teacher and I were ready to interfere. Goodness, you should've sensed the energies at that time. They were on the verge of retaliation! There're some times where I mull over the thought that being your demon shortens my lifespan. For the love of the kings, where did I go wrong in my life to have ended up by your side?"_

"Kuro-"

 _"I will not hear any of your reasons. I shouldn't have brought the idea in the first place. For once, think of your safety. Sometimes I fear that if I let my eyes wander away from you, I'll find myself having to attend your funeral. And believe me when I say that if you keep this up, then I might have to chain you to a chair and cast spells onto you that will make even a fly explode when it came into a ten-meter radius from your body."_

"Alright. I apologize." He finally interrupted the nagging fox, scooping him up and continuing on with the walk. Nimble fingers found its way to the spot behind one of the pointy ears and scratched it. This made the black fox immediately clammed up and sigh with pleasure at the sensation. "I didn't know you can talk up quite a storm when you're worried. You're usually the quiet type in my eyes." Then he stopped himself for a while, remembering some scenes in his memory before continuing. "Well, except when you're explaining something to me or trying to pressurize people."

But the demon didn't respond, nor did he seem to have heard Seijuro's words. The fox's body went limp as eyes fluttered shut. Seems like his scratchings were pleasurable for Kuroko as soft purrs would elicit every now and then. Seijuro let this be, but after around five minutes, Kuroko snapped himself into reality and slapped away the hand.

 _"No. You will not attempt to silence me with your scratchings."_

"Ah, welcome back." Seijuro mockingly greeted. "I thought you were asleep for a second there."

 _"I am not done with you, young hooman."_ One of the pointy ears twitched in agitation. _"While I am very much impressed with your performance, I need to exercise the dangers of wielding to you right here, right now. And don't you dare try to scratch me again, or I'll sink my fangs into your arm."_

So much for the distraction...

* * *

The opening ceremony for the grand games was being held to formalize the most anticipated event in the academy.

In the central gym at the front, the principal stood, giving a speech. In front of him were the students, standing in neat lines based on gender and class. Some of them listening to every word the principal said while most of them decided it was unnecessary and boring, opting to just chat quietly amongst themselves. It was the same old speech, after all, being repeated every year. They could actually recite it if they were given a chance.

"Now I would like to have all of you to direct your attention to the list of matches behind me." That one sentence promoted all students to gaze at the list projected, rows upon rows of names appeared. "This list will be spread to all of the participants. Another list will come with this one that will show the time and location of the matches. Make su-"

Seijuro promptly drowned out the voice in favor of finding his name on the list, just like everybody there. Twin red eyes scanned the gigantic list of matches in front, darting left and right, up and down, before finally, he found it. His gaze focused on his name and the one beside his that told him of his opponent.

 _"Kuroko, are you listening?"_ He asked his demon telepathically, still focused on the name.

He could feel Kuroko stir in the jewel. _"Yes. Have you found who our opponents are?"_

 _"I have."_ A frown marred his features _. "Seems like our first match is going to be a difficult one."_

 _"Who might they be?"_

 _"Midorima and Takao."_ Ruby pools focused on the name. Kanji characters seemingly staring back at him intimidatingly.

"At last, I would like to formally commence the grand games to begin." Claps were heard as the principal ended his speech, descending the small flight of steps at the side of the stage.

 _"When will we have our match?"_ Kuroko asked again.

 _"Monday. The first match."_

A click of the tongue. _"Curses."_

* * *

A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic. It's been months since I updated and I'm sorry for the long wait. This chapter was actually already typed some time ago, but I felt like it lacked something, so I didn't publish it and decided to let it be until I can come up with more ideas to fill in this chapter. And then life happens, assignments kept popping out of nowhere, and I ended up forgetting about it. This chapter isn't my best one since nothing interesting happened. But I'll try my best to make the next one more exciting and hopefully satisfy you guys.

Last chapter's references are: The mushroom plushie (Toad-Mario), The old woman whose car they almost crashed into (Wendy Oldbag-Ace Attorney), The cat (Nyanko-Sensei-Natsume Yuujinchou)

Well, not much to say so I'll move on to the reviews.

~Rinfantasy: Thank you! Midorima hates cats since he once got scratched by one (I read it on the internet while researching materials for the story) I can't agree or deny your theories for obvious reasons. Your questions will be answered in the later chapters.

~Yose Hyuann: Thanks! Hope this chapter answered your question about the driving part. Yeah, Midorima should've known better than to insult Seijuro XD. And not to worry, the wows didn't bother me. I'm just glad that you can actually read this messy fic of mine.

~Kairo Lupin: Surprising, huh? Kuroko is blunt and Seijuro lets him speak his mind until a certain degree. Seijuro will only interfere when Kuroko began to lose control and hurt people. And Kuroko rubbing off on Seijuro is expected since they're stuck with each other. As for your other questions, I can't answer them. Don't want to be spoiled, right? Thank you! And no, I'm not a native english speaker.

~anon: Now there's a lot that I wanted to say, but I'll try to make it as short and sweet as possible. First is that I am aware that I'm making the characters in this fic ooc, especially the Akashi family and Kuroko. But it's not like I hate them what so ever. It's more like they're needed to be like that for the sake of the story and there are actually some history and reasons as to why they're like that. I know that my reason for that is far from the word acceptable and would make it seem like I'm making up reasons and all, but I'm being honest here and telling you the truth. It was not my intention to make them so ooc and cringe-worthy. And I'll try my best to not further stray them from canon personalities.

Second is that yes, if you think about it, this fic is slow to the point that it'll look as if it doesn't have any plot. But I like to add in details to my works so that the readers could have a better understanding of it and experience it to the fullest. I just thought that if I leave behind too many details, it'll just bring in more questions than answers. But overall, I'm glad that you liked some parts of the story, that you actually bothered to read this awful fic (in one sitting I presume) and spared the time to type lots of reviews for this amateur. Much better than saying something like 'This story sucks.' without giving any advice and reasons behind that. I'm actually grateful for the criticism because I know that it'll help me grow into a better writer. I'll remember your advice and hopefully, be able to type a chapter that would at least not be cringy. Well, I guess in short I would like to thank you for your reviews. I was actually quite surprised by the amount. And I apologize if my words offend you in some way.

I deeply apologize if a part of my fic reminded you of your friend's parents. That part was actually inspired by my chats I had with elderly folks, how they complain about the people nowadays as they compare them to the people back in their days. And I'm also disappointed that they have to take the mission, but that part will play a major role in the later chapters.

And I guess that's it. I would like to thank you again for reading this fic and reviewing. I'm so grateful.

~mimi-chan and aliling-chan: Thank you! Please don't support him when he's deranged like that... Yes, that cat was Nyanko-sensei.

~Deugemia, ainkyu: Thanks!

~zleihsh: Thank you! Long island ice tea? I never heard of that beverage, so I searched it up and was surprised that it really looked like plain ol' tea! The principal's turning into quite the antagonist here... I just thought that work is not all about theory but the practice along with the experience that counts. I actually planned to open up an arc about the demons' past, but that will have to wait.

Glad that you like Takao and Midorima's appearance here. I do hope that I kept them in character. Just thought that since Takao called Midorima 'Shin-chan' then he would also call the others like that. And like always I can't answer your questions. That guy never see that coming! haha. Last chapter is faster, but then this one is late, really late. Sorry for that.

~Dj Candy: Surprised? Seijuro stopped him because Kuroko was not up to date with the world's development and tried to hurt the principal. So he tried to stop him from making the situation worst. Takao is mischevious, and annoying Midorima is his life mission XD. The standing by the door thing, there's a reason for that. Try guessing. Ah, which one, which one. But seriously, I thought there's only one Sanada.

Okay, let's look at it like this, a student excels in science in school, they got great marks on the subject, but that's only at school. The world is a big place and chances are, out there, there are other people who are better than them, more experienced. So it's kind of hard to say if they're weak or not. It depends. Thanks! Glad that you like the fight and chase scene. That guy probably didn't see that coming! Poor guy. Seijuro's irritated since they're all noisy while he tries to drive them to the place safely in one piece. But think that counts as road rage, huh? I think Midorima is terrified of cats.(I read about it when researching materials for this story.) What? What? What assumptions? now you left me hanging...

I suck at chemistry and physics. I used to have to take the make up tests for those subjects during my school days. Takao and Kuroko are grateful that they didn't ride the truck! I mostly typed Seijuro as the docile one here so I might as well reveal a bit of his dark side. They're not ignoring but too scared to act XD.

~ofMiragesandotherFalseTruths: Thank you for giving this fic a chance! What? Really? I'll have to check it and fix it. Thanks for pointing it out. But fire is actually in Sol's jurisdiction. I'm sorry I confused you. And sometimes old folks can act silly and childish! I've seen them myself!

Well, guess that's it. I would like to thank all of you who had read, reviewed, and clicking on the follow and/or favorite button. I apologize for any misspelling and/or grammatical errors that you may find in this fic. Hope you had fun reading and have a great day!

* * *

Omake 1 - Get Inside

"Before we begin the exams, may I request all of you to summon your demons?" The teacher said to the class.

And all of them did, the class suddenly got crowded as chatters erupted. The humans explaining the situation to their demons.

The teacher clapped his hands loudly to get their attention. "Alright, everyone place your demonic jewel inside the cube." Various clinks were heard when the accessories connected to the glass surface. "Now on the count of three, I ask all you demons to return back to the jewel. One, two, three!"

At once, whisps of elements went inside the jewel as the demons disappeared.

Well, almost all of them...

"Kuroko why didn't you return to the jewel?" Seijuro could feel a migraine coming already.

"Why should I? That cube is magic imbued. Going inside will weaken my powers." Kuroko replied calmly, not batting an eyelash at the others focusing their attention on him. "And I presume that cube will cut off what ever link I have with you, as if breaking the contract."

"It's for the exams, Kuroko. To prevent anyone from cheating."

"I highly doubt you will cheat. On the contrary, others might bother you for answers. I'm here to prevent that."

"It's the rules Kuroko. Why won't you just comply to them?"

"If complying to the rules means that I have to stay inside that cube, trapped for who knows how long-"

"Ninety minutes." Seijuro interrupted.

"Trapped for ninety minutes, having you being bothered by others, and exposing you to dangers, then I would very much opt to defy it."

"Don't be ridiculous. What could possibly endanger me here?"

A shrug. "I don't know, but one cannot eliminate the possibility of a meteor suddenly crashing to you." The others laughed at the answer, even the teacher.

But Seijuro wasn't amused. "Then let's make a deal. If you go inside, I'll treat you vanilla milkshakes for a week."

"Resorting to bribery? You know that won't work on me."

"Then you'll be sleeping on the floor."

"Now it's threats. I slept in many terrains. That will hardly affect me."

"It will, your back will hurt. And don't try to say otherwise, I seen you secretly rubbing your back a few times when you thought I wasn't looking." Then Seijuro got an idea. "You're just a lump of old bones are you?"

"A lump of old bones you say? You're being disrespectful short human."

Then Seijuro rose from his seat and stood beside the demon. A hand hovered from Kuroko's head to travel to his ear. "Short you say?" A smug look plastered itself on his face when Kuroko scowled.

"I still refuse to go inside the jewel."

"Then should I rip off your tail?"

"You're a sadist, Akashi-kun."

"You too."

"The answer is still no."

A sigh before a disturbingly bright smile grew on his face. _"Then I'll request for Koganei-san to have a special day where every customer will have to play the challenge with you whenever they want to order something. For free mind you."_ Kuroko went silent, but Seijuro knew he got the demon _. "The mochi game to be specific and I'll recommend it to every single customer there."_

Kuroko flinched. _"Are you sure you're not a demon, Akashi-kun?"_

 _"It would be interesting if I'm secretly one, wouldn't it?"_ Seijuro answered playfully. "Then on the count of ten. One, tw-" And Kuroko went inside even before Seijuro said the number two entirely. "I apologize for that. Please continue, Sensei."

* * *

Omake 2 - Results

"Seijurocchi!" A shrill cry traveled across the air as footsteps echoed. Following that not a second later, a certain blond came running inside the class, knocking down some poor guy who was inconveniently standing near the sliding doors.

At the sound of his name being called, the red haired teen immediately stood up and dodged the incoming crushing hug that Kise was about to give him. This resulted in the blond crashing into his desk and falling to the floor.

"I'm here. Is something the matter?" He crouched down so he was at eye-level with the blond.

"Seijurocchi!" Kise scrambled up for a bit before hugging him.

"Seems like you can't escape him." Kuroko said as he sat on the desk, looking down on them. "You should've stood a little ways from him."

"And I bet you're enjoying the sight." Was the reply before he focused his attention to the blond. "Kise, what happened?"

"The exam results!"

"The exam results?" Seijuro furrowed his brows. "Did you fail?"

"No." He released the hug and rummaged his pockets to produce a folded piece of paper. He gave it to Seijuro who took it and unfolded it. Both of them stood up.

And he saw that Kise got in the top one hundred. It was a pleasant surprise. "This is certainly wonderful. Does Kasamatsu knows of this?"

"About that." Then Kise summoned the demon. Particles shot out from his earring to reveal a lump of something...

"Where is he?" Seijuro asked.

"That's him."

"What?"

"Ah, Kasamatsu-san." Kuroko hopped down from the desk and approached the lump. "It's rare to see you like this. Did something happen?" Pale hands grabbed the serpent, but before Kuroko could lift him, Kasmatsu slid off from the hands and flopped back on the floor.

 _"That idiot just made it to the top one hundred."_ Kasamatsu sniffled, raising his tail to point at Kise. _"He just up and reduced the gap from six palms to just two."_

"Palms?" Seijuro asked.

"We usually measure a distance or gap in a map or list with our palms." Kuroko explained as he pulled out a handkerchief. "And Kasamatsu has large palms so it must've been an impressive improvement." He used the small cloth to wipe off the tears that actually came from every inch of the serpentine body. "There, there, Kasamatsu-san. You should stop crying before you flood the whole place."

 _"Can't help it. I thought that shithead won't make it."_ Kuroko created a bucket from the shadows and wring off the liquid from his handkerchief.

"Hey!"

"Well, now you can relax for a bit since both of you can apply for the games and battle us." Kuroko said. "I know you've been itching to have your revenge match with me."

 _"Damn straight! For the love of the kings, if that human didn't pass, I would've murdered someone!"_ Kasamatsu said. _"And I have to thank your human. Damn it! Just call me, and I'll be there to help."_

"Of course you will," Kuroko answered. "you never liked being indebted to someone."

"You know, I always thought demons are supposed to be all scary and mean ssu." Kise quietly said to Seijuro as he took in the sight of Kuroko and Kasamatsu there.

"I can't help but agree with you." Seijuro nodded.

"Kasamatsucchi is like the older brother I never had." A fond tone could be heard when he said that. "Especially because I live alone, him being there just makes that apartment more lively."

"You live alone? I thought your parents live there too since there are three rooms."

Kise laughed a bit, although it sounded sad for some reason. "I lived there with my parents and sisters but things happened, and I somehow ended up there alone."

Seijuro was silent, not replying, as he himself was at lost for words. The demons' conversation fill in the awkward silence between them. "Do you have some free time after school?"

"Hmm?" Honey orbs blinked. "Oh, I have a photo shoot, but since I did really well yesterday, I only need to go to the studio for a while to finish up. Then I can go home ssu." Kise said as he remembered his schedule. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. I just thought that maybe you can come over to the cafe for a little celebration." A shrug. "It's only right since you did ace the exams."

A smile bloomed. "Seijurocchi!" He moved to hug him again.

But Seijuro sidestepped and let Kise crash onto the floor again. "No."

"You're so mean!"

* * *

I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - Full of Weaknesses

Fate. It was something that determines a person's life. From the day they were born to the day they die, fate decides their life paths and directs their actions to reach their inevitable end. Not much could be said, and not many people could say otherwise as fate itself is something that cannot be seen with the eyes nor be felt by the skin. It was more of a premonition, and only a handful of them can predict their own future and change it.

But it was not as if humans aren't capable of doing anything about it. In fact, they could change it to a certain extent. Fortune telling, praying at a shrine, talismans, just to name a few. There are many other methods, of course, some rarely known or just rarely used. But for Midorima, he believed in cosmic powers.

He believed that there was some sort of force in the seemingly ignored star constellations. Every twinkling light that gleamed in the sky when the heavens turned dark, and when the moon shone on them so brightly, he knew that they were giving off signs, directions, and miracles to those who gazed upon them. He believed that they can change fate, defy all odds and lead them to a better future. But unfortunately, as much as he adored the stars, he could not decipher their language and was left to follow a morning fortune called oha-asa.

At first, he never believed such things. Shows that can predict one's luck and warn them of impending dangers. It was preposterous as if they were interfering with the heaven's will, revealing the future's secrets. But little Midorima at that time was a curious child, full of life and ready to try on anything.

So one day, he finally couldn't stand the curiosity growing inside him and watched the tv show. He sat on the sofa, listening to the woman on the screen and waited until the fortune teller told him of his luck that day. "Cancer would have a bad day." She said as he focused his bespectacled gaze to the television. "A cat will suddenly run towards you and scratch your face." The woman continued as she said that that day's lucky item for Cancers is a bottle of shaving cream. And just like that, the woman went on to the other horoscopes.

He turned off the tv after that, sitting there on the sofa for a little while longer as his mind tried to process the information, suspicious. It was stupid, really, as if some cat would just come at him and scratch his face. Because in his opinion, cats are far more gentle than dogs who are loud and messy. But then he remembered how his classmates babbled about this particular show every day, how the woman's words really did happen and so on. That single thought made him ignore the little voice inside his head that told him not to believe the lady.

So deciding that no harm would be done if he decided to follow the tv show, he scrambled to his parents' room and grabbed the bottle of shaving cream from the cabinet. Bringing the said item to school as he could see that almost everyone there was holding some sort of item in their hands. Some of them are simple and easy to carry like his lucky item for today or the silver spoon he saw a girl grip. While others' were just downright strange like a sack of potatoes or a raccoon statue. The teachers there had given up on scolding them for bringing strange things to school and just let them be, hoping that they would get tired of it and eventually move on to other cool things in their opinion.

The day then progressed, the time flying off and before he realized it, it was already night as his father drove him from a friend's house. And at that point, he thought to himself that it was stupid of him to believe in such things. It was already night time, and not a single cat has appeared and attacked him like the woman said.

That is until he hopped off the car and a cat really did jump at him and scratched his face, unbelievably close to one of his eyes. And he screamed in both pain and fear as the blood dripped from his face and onto the concrete. It was certainly unexpected, and his father immediately drove him to a hospital, the patched up work was that his father did to him was just a form of first aid after all.

And since that day he began to believe in fortunes and fate. The tv show was the first thing he watched every day before going to school, and the lucky items were never absent. He realized that his luck really did increase with each unusual item and not having one in his possession attracted bad luck. Over time, he got dependant on oha-asa and would have a panic attack if he missed the show or didn't acquire the items.

That routine continued until today as he closed the locker and changed into the sports shoes he brought, making sure to tie the left one first before the right one. Beside him, his lucky item stood, a night lamp, while in the background a rewind of oha-asa filled the air.

"Cancers are ranked second in luck. Today something unexpected will happen. But don't worry! It's all for the better." The cheerful voice said. "Cancers' luck item is a night lamp. Now we move on to-"

"Can I talk to you for a while?" A voice suddenly overlapped the radio's. But he knew who it was even without facing the person.

"Seijuro's changing room is at the opposite side of this one, nanodayo." He pointed out instead of answering, straightening himself after deeming his shoelaces won't untie itself.

From the shadows, Kuroko emerged, standing there in front of the bespectacled teen. "Where is Takao-kun?"

"I believe we shouldn't talk before the match." Midorima once again ignored the question and proceeds to take out a towel and a water bottle from his bag. "It would be best if you leave before the teachers know about this."

"Won't you hear what I have to say? Kuroko raised an eyebrow, eyes following the human's every action.

"I do not have the reason to." Came the uninterested reply and Kuroko almost scoffed at the stubbornness.

"Even if this concerns your father?" As the words rolled off his lips, Kuroko could see the green haired twitch as he stopped all actions altogether. "Will you listen to me now?" It was an unnecessary question seeing as he had the teen's attention, but he would like to hear the other's response.

A growl escaped Midorima, his blood suddenly boiling as his anger nearly burst. "What business do you have with him, nanodayo?" It took almost his whole energy to restrain himself as usually, Takao would hold him back during these rare times. But alas, the wind demon of his is currently unavailable as he had run off to who knows where.

A smile. He got the human right where he wanted to. Although he had to tread carefully as to not further upset Midorima. It won't be pretty if the teen suddenly went ballistic and alerted the teachers here. Kuroko knew the chances of that happening is slim, but he would rather be safe than sorry. "My, that reaction of yours is quite unexpected."

"Answer me." Midorima sheeted.

Well, he now had the human vexed, might as well get to the point and not beat around the bush. "Then make a deal with me."

* * *

The center gym was once again packed full with people. Students, teachers, and demons alike sat on the seats provided as the gazed down at the people standing below.

There, in the center, was Seijuro as in front of him Takao could be seen with his laid-back attitude and toothy grin. Standing near them is Masako-sensei. The teacher impatiently tapping her foot on the smooth wooden surface of the floor and she glared at the ticking watch she wore on her wrist. "Where the hell are they?" She finally asked the two, a vein popped on her temple. "If this keeps up then I have to disqualify the both of you."

"I tried contacting Kuroko, but he seems to have closed off the link." Came the response from Seijuro as Takao merely shrugged, also not knowing the whereabouts of his wielder.

"Then I'll give them two minutes. If they don't come here in two minutes, then I'll have to-"

 _"I apologize for my tardiness."_ A fox suddenly jumped to Seijuro's shoulder, effectively cutting off the teacher.

"Kuroko, where were you?" Seijuro asked, unamused.

 _"I have some business to attend."_

"Bussiness?"

Kuroko then stared at the human before he huffed. _My, such impoliteness. My views of you had just declined, Akashi-kun."_

"Do not shift the blame. You almost got us disqualified had you not been here in two minutes." Seijuro retorted back. "And why did it take so long? Don't tell me you had trouble with the men's room. Do you need my help?"

 _"I do not need your help."_ A paw slapped the side of the head.

"I thought yo-"

 _"Don't you dare insult me."_

"I'm merely offering help." Seijuro peeled the demon from his shoulder and carried him in one arm, the other fished out the bracelet from his pants pocket and slipped it on one of the front legs. "Toilets these days have too many buttons and functions."

"You're right about that," Takao interjected, entering the conversation. "I got sprayed in the face one time before slipping by surprise and falling on the floor." He rubbed his head. "Got a huge bump as a reminder of that day."

"Did Midorima know of that incident?" Seijuro loosened his hold on Kuroko to let the fox hop off and revert to his human form.

A scoff. "He knew. I told him. He only said I'm stupid and continued on his way." Then a grin spread on his face. "But at the end of the day, he told me which button's which and gave me an ice pack for my head. He's such a tsundere, saying he wasn't worried when he clearly was."

"Well, if he really cared like you said then I believe he should've been here minutes ago." Masako-sensei interrupted impatiently.

"He'll be here." Takao said, grinning.

And just like what Takao said, Midorima really did arrive, placing his lucky item on the bench at the edge of the gym. "Finally." Takao threw a bracelet towards the student who caught it effortlessly, slipping the accessory to his left wrist. "We can finally begin."

The female teacher then clapped her hands once, letting lightning strike down from seemingly nowhere to let out a resounding boom. This action made the gym turn silent as all eyes now refocused to the ones at the center. "The first match of the grand games is about to begin." Her voice traveled across the large space. "I would like to request for the audience to keep their mouth shut while I explain the rules."

"First, all participants are allowed to use any element they desire. But healing isn't allowed, those spells will be disabled the moment the match starts. Second, the field will be random. Nobody knows what the phantasma cube will conjure, so you guys better hope it's going to be an environment that accentuates your elements. Third, like always, do not aim at vital organs. Be it intentional or not, doing so will result in that student and their demon to be kicked out of this academy." She then stopped to fish out the said cube from her pants pocket, lazily throwing it up in the air before catching it. "Any questions? No? Then please take five steps backward from each other."

And all four of them did so. Feet stepping back from each other as Masako-sensei positioned herself so that she was standing near the benches. "Let the first match of the grand games begin!" She yelled as the cube got thrown into the air. And as the object achieved its highest point, Kuroko flashed Midorima a soft smile as he received a cold glare in return. The silent banter went unnoticed by their respective companions as a blinding light engulfed them whole. Ripples of the energies were prominent as their surroundings morphed, twisting and changing. And when the light settled, it revealed that they were already on a mountain. The air was cool and thin as fog limited their sight. Rock formations surrounded them, standing erect or laying low on the ground as the grass blades waved gracefully.

"We're in luck, Shin-chan!" Takao cried as he reverted to his hawk form, flapping his wings to soar to the skies. Two of his seals were released as two large feathers grew on his tail. _"Ready when you are."_

 _"It seems like the environment isn't on our side, Akashi-kun."_ Kuroko said as he also released two of his seals, making a tail and a pair of ears to sprout from their respective spots. His hands and feet grew claws as cerulean eyes turned slitted. Twin orbs of darkness appeared around him, floating in the air and looking as if it was deteriorating with some of the particles falling off from them like sand. _"Be careful."_

The redhead didn't vocalize his response, but Kuroko's cautious words are kept in mind. With an environment such as this, it'll be hard to use soul flames as the waning sun could hardly pierce the fog that had settled in. While the wind blew continuously, making the cool air slightly freezing. It's clearly quite the predicament as Kuroko also has a disadvantage seeing that there are no shades in sight except for the ones the rock formations provided. But they were not in abundance like at the match he had with Kise, where a whole forest cast plenty of shade for the demon to manipulate and they stood a bit far from each other, making it even more difficult.

His noted with a slight grimace that the only chance of winning this is by using plants as his main element since the soil at mountains are exceptional, proven by the fact that the grass there proudly showed off their green color and standing tall to reach his knees. But he had to wonder if it'll be enough to actually damage their opponents seeing as Takao has the advantage and will no doubt wreck havoc upon them.

 _"Kuroko."_ He called to the one beside him as he pulled out his swords. The one being called merely twitched his ear, a sign that he was paying attention to him. _"Since there are little to no shadows here, feel free to use mine as your weapon."_ He went down to a defensive stance as ruby eyes saw Midorima forming a bow of light, getting ready to pull the string. _"Use everything in your sight, we cannot afford to lose here."_

 _"Understood."_ Kuroko replied, dark throwing knives formed between his fingers, sharp and deadly.

And just as Midorima pulled the string of his bow, an arrow of light appeared and sailed the air at an unbelievable speed. Takao who was flying in the skies urged his element to assist the arrow, making it fly at a speed even the eyes can't follow. Seijuro was caught off guard at this, but luckily Kuroko pushed him away to the side and let the arrow create a hole on his arm. At the same time, the demon threw the knives he had in hand towards Midorima, all of which missed the target as they stabbed themselves to the ground a couple of inches beside the bespectacled teen.

 _"The match has just begun, and he already pierced a hole on me."_ Kuroko glanced at his arm which is bleeding heavily, droplets of blood leaking from it to fall to the grass, tainting them. _"He must've been upset."_ The demon warped the wound with his own element. _"Be careful, Akashi-kun."_ Seijuro nodded before dodging a wind blade coming from above and retaliating with a dense ball of ice, launching it at the hawk. Takao merely dodged, the ice missed the right wing by inches before falling back on the ground, freezing the grass. _"Long ranged battle. This may be hard"_

* * *

 _"Man, Shin-chan, you made a hole on Tet-chan."_ Takao's voice infiltrated Midorima's mind as he saw Kuroko warping the wound. The grip on his bow tightening as he silently clenched his jaws in frustration. _"What's gotten into you? You're usually not that hotheaded, especially since it's still the beginning."_ He then flew to the left to dodge the attack from the redhead.

Midorima ignored the hawk's comments and once again pulled the string of his bow. When it could not be pulled back any further, arrows formed, pure white in color and deadly. But this time instead of aiming at the ones in front of him, he raised his arms so that he was pointing his weapons at the sky. And not a second later, he released his hold, the arrows rocketed up, reaching its highest point before Takao once again let the winds interfere. The hawk commanded his element with a flap of his wings, effectively sending the arrows to fall upon the opponents below. And as they fall to the ground at a fast pace, Midorima split the arrows midair.

Seijuro who already knew the force of Midorima's attacks from the little incident a couple of seconds before reacted quickly as he slammed his palms to the ground. They glowed for a while before a large tree grew at an alarming rate, shielding them as the arrows puncture the hard, thick wood instead of their flesh.

But Takao seemed as if he already predicted this and just after he saw his wielder's attack neutralized, he sent wind blades towards the makeshift shield. They traveled the air with a whizzing sound and connected to the wood with a slashing sound similar to a steel sword. And as if a knife through butter, the tree was cut up into pieces, them almost crushing him if not for Kuroko who immediately formed a protective orb to envelop them both, taking advantage of the sudden shade that appeared.

 _"Haha, calm down, Shin-chan."_ Midorima once again paid the demon no mind as his forest green eyes focused on the heap of lumber, the dust that flew around slowly settling down from their frenzy as all of a sudden, all was calm. There was no sign of movement from their supposed opponents, not a sound to be heard. The silence went on for a wee bit too long that even Takao almost thought they had passed out. That is until a large tendril made from the shadow element abruptly burst through its wooden confines. The obsidian element then coiled around a relatively large lumber before throwing it at the hawk.

Takao who didn't really expect this reflexively did a barrel roll, dodging the deadly attack. But not even a second later did he realize his mistake when his grey slitted eyes saw yet another tendril rose, this one made from earth's secondary element and bearing the size similar to its obsidian companion. It swung like a whip, knocking him off from the air as at the same time it also slapped the lumber that was meant for him towards the human who barely had enough time to dodge by rolling over to the side. The impact causing a resounding boom to disrupt the calmness that settled seconds before.

As both of them were recovering from the attacks, Seijuro suddenly appeared from behind the thrown wood. With his twin swords drawn, the blades glinting from the sun's wan rays, he swung, targeting the fellow human. Every movement was swift and precise as the bespectacled one tried to dodge the strikes. It didn't take long for Midorima, who was taken by surprise at his sudden presence to get overwhelmed and got a deep cut on his arm as a result. A grunt escaped the green haired teen's lips as he also noted with disgust that some strange, unknown substance clung to Seijuro's swords and when he swung them, it also stuck to him. His arms and hands practically covered with them.

But he couldn't mull over his predicament any longer as Seijuro was still trying to attack him, reeling back his arm to thrust his sword to puncture Midorima's shoulder. Fortunately for him, Takao interfered by letting a streak of lightning pass at the small space between them. This made the redhead jump back, digging his shoes to the ground to steady himself as Takao once again went airborne. The hawk sent barrage after barrage of lightning strikes to the human below. Seijuro had no chance to retaliate was left to dodge the attacks left and right. Midorima quickly took advantage of the distraction to recover. A bow once again forming in his hands before the string was pulled, and he rained down his attacks upon Seijuro, releasing arrow after arrow with little to no gap between them.

The redhead dodged, retaliating with the occasional whips and grass blades that he manipulated to be as sharp as a steel one. Controlling them to slice at Midorima's feet and whipping the air with a loud crack in the hopes of slamming the hawk to the earth. But after a while, Midorima could practically see Seijuro wearing down. The redhead's breath grew ragged, his movements slowing down as his body could barely keep up with the swift attacks thrown at him. Even the attacks he threw at them were no longer existent, already exerted too much.

It then came to the point that he could barely concentrate on the attacks as one of the lightning struck him when he was distracted by the arrows. Both of them saw the redhead tumble and fall, seeing this as a chance to go all out on him. But before their launch attacks could cause Seijuro pain, his own shadow shot out to take the brunt of the attack. And one might think that Seijuro will also feel the electricity coursing through his being or the pain from the arrows piercing him, but instead, he was perfectly fine as his shadow settled to the ground again after it has done its work. It was a contradiction, one that Takao had seen Kuroko did many times during their days.

 _"You're recycling old tricks, Tet-chan."_ Takao finally said as he flew above Midorima, flapping his wings now and then to keep him airborne. Gray slitted eyes locked to ruby ones. _"You let your human go up against us alone while you stayed at the back, providing support and waiting for the right time to strike."_ No response from both of them as Seijuro was busy glaring at them, standing up straight again and trying to catch his breath, swords held in front of him, ready to strike anytime or parry if necessary. While Kuroko opted to stay silent, nowhere to be seen. _"Don't try to hide. I know you're there, still inside the pile of lumber."_

A smug look plastered itself to the hawk's features as he saw Seijuro's hand twitch slightly. Takao admits that it was faint as he knew that the redhead's undoubtedly skilled at hiding the little twitches he unconsciously did, and Takao was sure that any normal person would miss it, but he's not just any ordinary demon. His eyes will always catch every little detail, without fail. _"I'm right aren't I?"_

 _"But before we start the fight again let me tell you, humans, something about Tet-chan."_ Takao began, catching their attention. _"You guys might think that Tet-chan's strong and powerful. He's a shadow demon, after all,_ Seirin's _shadow demon."_ He stressed out the word Seirin, purposely slightly dragging it out. _"But to tell you the truth he's just full of weaknesses to the point of being useless."_

Midorima was surprised at this piece of information, his eyebrows disappearing behind his hairline as Seijuro could also be seen doing the same, hardly believing the words the hawk just said, confused. _" Surprising, huh? But it's the truth."_ He then flew closer to Seijuro, lowering just enough so that the redhead didn't have to crane his neck so much just to see him. _"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I'm lying, that I'm just spewing out nonsense. But just think about it. He's weak, he has no stamina, no aim, and has to depend on someone when battling."_

 _"You must've noticed, right?"_ He asked a question that has an obvious answer. " _He's out of breath from just a five-minute run, he can barely lift something up, the time when he asked you to shoot the other shadow demon instead of doing it himself, the knives that he threw at Shin-chan all missed him, and how you're here in front of us while he's at the back."_

Takao internally laughed at seeing Seijuro's brain literary running at a fast pace in order to relieve some of his memories concerning what he just said. And inside his mind, he was doing exactly the same. His memories of their glory days usurping his head. Memories of how Tet-chan always had to be frequently healed, the wounds he suffered which were the most severe from the rest of them as he's always getting hit. Him and the others having to keep an eye on the petite one and staying close by his side the best they can to at least lessened the injuries he might suffer.

There were times where the shadow demon just outright refused to be treated just so they can conserve energy, while other times they just plain can't heal him because they already exerted too much. And when that rare times did come, they'll resort to traditional ways using bandages and human medicine that had little to no effect on them. But it's not like the rest were never injured. On the contrary, they got roughened up quite a lot since they were fighting in a war, but Tet-chan came out of battle with stab wounds and amputated limbs while the rest only got broken bones at most.

 _"You might be thinking that since he has terrible aim, then he's surely good at close combat. I mean, he uses daggers after all as his choice of weapon."_ He continued, remembering more scenes in his head. _"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but he's equally, if not, worse at that than long ranged combat. He has no stamina after all. Just drag the battle a little, and he'll drop to the ground after a while."_

Takao then released two more seals, evident from the intensity of the energies around, the wind orbs that added in number and that there are now four large feathers sprouting from his tail. _"And that's the end of my little explanation about Tet-chan. Now, it's time to pull him out of his hiding spot."_ With that last sentence, he flapped his wings to get to a higher altitude while Seijuro got knocked back from the force. That little gap of time where the redhead was caught off guard was enough for him to send wind blades towards the lumbers, slicing them up and turning them to dust in a matter of seconds. This made the shadows that were cast because of the wood to disappear, making the demon involuntarily reveal himself in plain sight.

 _"Got you~"_ The sing-song tone a contrast to the savage attack as Takao wasted no time to let lightning strike down to the other demon, rendering him unconscious with burn marks all over. _"Now, let's have some fun, Sei-chan."_

The hawk laughed, like a maniac on the loose. Wind blades attacking relentlessly, supported by a couple of rocks the size of an adults head thrown at the redhead courtesy of Midorima. As a form of defense, Seijuro stomped his foot to the ground, letting a gigantic tree grow to bear the attacks as he ran. His eyes stole a glance at his fallen demon before he urged his feet to take him to some semblance of a hiding place in this seemingly bare mountain.

While running, he pulled out fistfuls of the grass that tickled his legs, careful not to trip over himself while doing so. When he had enough, he threw them in the air, quickly manipulating the energies around to make the gentle blades turn rigid. With a flick of his wrist, they flew backward towards Midorima, whizzing sounds accompanying them. The bespectacled teen wasted no time to dodge, showing his impressive footwork. Seeing this, Seijuro then lightly touched the grass, fingertips grazing them and letting soul flames appear. Soon, they grew, the tree Seijuro made served as firewood to feed the hungry cobalt flames.

 _"Don't."_ Midorima ordered, stopping Takao from using the winds to put out the flames. _"These are soul flames. You'll just make it worse."_ He then conjured blobs of water, sending them crashing down to the field. But Seijuro seemed as if he had anticipated this. So before the crystalline orbs could make contact with his blue flames, he controlled the energies around, freezing the waters before sending the now ice orbs towards his opponents. But both of them were quick. With their combined efforts, they send out their attacks towards the ices, destroying them to make them explode into tiny glittering shards.

Seijuro used the time where Midorima and Takao were distracted to make a more trees, letting the fires lick at the wood greedily and surrounding himself with his own element. The explosion of ices hardly affected his flames as they consumed the trees he made at a fast pace, creating a roaring fire that threatened to destroy all.

Midorima clicked his tongue, cursing Seijuro for the roaring flames. Seeing as he had no other choice, he ran straight towards the redhead, hands pulling out twin pistols that shoot out light bullets. Seijuro barely had time to pull out his own blades, parrying the bullets with his swords. Midorima pulled the trigger, the pistols' nozzle spewed out pure white bullets. Seijuro blocked the deadly attack by regenerating a burnt tree near him, letting the branch grew large and thick to be able to withstand the attack. Without allowing even a second be wasted, he controlled the flames, which attacked Midorima like a large wave. Takao made a protective orb around the human, not letting him get harmed.

When the protective orb dissipated, Midorima shot another volley of bullets, this time Takao decided to help by pushing the little light element with his own wind. This made them sail the air faster than ever, too fast for Seijuro to react as the bullets hit his flesh and exited from the other side. With a grunt, he fell, blood pooling from the wounds on his shoulder, right arm, and legs. His only good limb clutched his shoulder, enduring the pain.

Seeing as Seijuro couldn't move, Midorima raised his hands as walls rose up as a result. He then brought his hands down, ordering the gigantic walls he created to fall onto the flames, putting them out. The hands raised again after a while to make them stand once more, now trapping the redhead on all three sides while Midorima stood in front of him, blocking his way.

"You're cornered." Emerald eyes stared down at the redhead, glinting with what seemed like anger and satisfaction. Seijuro realized the jeopardy he was in merely clicked his tongue in annoyance. Ruby pools darting every way to look for some weakness he could exploit. Although he knew whatever weakness he may find would not be of much help given his condition.

"It would seem so." Seijuro responded, breath ragged as he finally zeroed in his vision on the opponents "Impressive performance as always, Midorima."

 _"As always?"_ Takao asked. _"So you've been watching our matches?"_

"Of course." Was the response as he saw Midorima forming light beams above his head, wanting to end the match quick. He took note that Midorima seemed to mainly use light element even though the sun's rays barely hit the ground. "I was a D rank until just recently. I can only spectate others' matches from the stands."

"As much as I would like to extend our conversation, I believe we should end it now, nanodayo." Midorima interrupted his demon who was about to respond to Seijuro. He raised his arm, the beams above his head positioned themselves, pointing towards the opponents in front of him, ready to sail the air and tore through flesh. "It was pleasant while it lasted."

Well, this was it. "Yes, it was." He said. "Fire your attacks Midorima, I'm defenseless. Seize your victory."

Takao who saw the other human losing all hope couldn't help the smirk that played across his face. The recently crowned S Rank, the notorious one who shot off from the lowest to highest, the one who defeated Yu-chan, Tet-chan's wielder. He heard many good things from the gossips buzzing around, heck even his fellow Seirin member said he was exceptional. But now, seeing him helplessly staring at them, posture relaxed, muscles uncoiled, all battered and ruffled, he wasn't so sure. He got excited over nothing it seems. What a disappointment. _"Remember to avoid the vital organs, Shin-chan."_ There's no way he could dodge. He's cornered, and Tet-chan can't save his hide like last time.

And Midorima let loose, the beams flying forwards, ready to puncture Seijuro and the wall, making him an ephemeral statue decorated with crimson blood. But just as the attacks were about to connect, they got reflected. Them bouncing off to the sky. Both Takao and Midorima were shocked at this, but before they could digest what had just happened, the hawk that was flying in the air suddenly went rigid and crashed to the ground. And to make things more shocking, the beams that were nowhere in sight just a couple of seconds before came raining down the demon.

An ear deafening shriek resounded along with sickening sounds of flesh being torn apart. Takao lay on the ground with the beams stuck out from him, while his blood stained the green grass. _"How-"_

"You didn't think that your lightning actually hit me, did you?" Kuroko materialized from the shadows, Midorima's shadow. "I'm recycling old tricks after all."

 _"You and your blasted illusions."_ He growled out as Midorima let the beams disappear, Kuroko also let his element, that was protecting Takao's vital organs, disperse. The bespectacled one came to his demon's aid, blood flowed in a gush, the wings taking most of the damage. But the teen was quick to freeze the wounds shut. The sting as the side effect was unbearable, but it was better than letting the blood spill out. "You hid and left your wielder to fend for himself?" By now Takao had reverted to his human form as he wouldn't be able to fly in his state.

"It was Akashi-kun's idea." The teal head shrugged, wrapping the injuries with his own element, applying pressure on them. "From the beginning." Two more seals were released, two more tails grew, two more shadow orbs appeared. "But I guess play time's over."

Takao reflexively rolled to the left, avoiding a punch courtesy of Midorima. "What the fuck?! Shin-chan, why did you attack me?!"

"My body's moving on its own," Midorima grunted out as he tried with all his might to take back control over his body.

"Akashi-kun is wounded and fatigued," Kuroko said as he manipulated the shadows in his hands. "Might as well use another human who's still more or less strong enough to fight." He then materialized a sword made from the shadow element and let it fly towards Midorima who involuntarily caught it and used it as a weapon to strike at Takao. "And you wouldn't attack your own wielder, right? Seeing as doing so will increase my and Akashi-kun's points. Running away would be such a wise choice either since then I can make Midorima-kun amputate his own limbs. All the while without dirtying my hands with blood."

"You fucking asshole!" The wind demon cursed at Kuroko, dodging Midorima's attacks left and right, not being able to retaliate and getting hit every now and then. And just like he said, running away won't cut it. If he said he's going to amputate his wielder's limbs, then he will.

"Blame Akashi-kun." Was the response. Not the least bit bothered at Takao's outrage. "He ordered me to 'use everything in sight.' I'm merely following his orders."

"I may have said that, but I never thought that you would use our opponents as your weapon." Seijuro went to stand beside his demon with much difficulty, breath still ragged as he took the time to stabilize it. "You never ceased to amaze me."

A scoff. "And I can say the same to you who coul-" His sentence was cut off when Midorima materialized more light beams, aiming them at Kuroko. Just as they could connect to their target, they bounced off to the skies before suddenly raining down on Takao. "As I said. Manipulating water's second element and making a thin ice similar to a mirror. Reflecting the light beams upwards before sending them to the ground by reflecting them with another ice mirror that you made above." A sigh. "Materializing them so fast. Since when did you achieve such mastery?"

"From practicing for the exams." Came the response as the redhead crouched down to press his palms to the ground. They glowed, making the grass come to life and take the form similar to whips. "Kasamatsu-san helped too."

"And we almost got disqualified. If those beams hit his vital organs, then it's all over for us." A frown, the demon a bit displeased. "Another thing is that you almost died." Kuroko decided to not nag at his human, saving his breath. "But that's beside the point. What about the act? You seemed convincing enough to fool both of them." Cerulean eyes saw the grass whips crack, hitting Takao's leg.

"Again, practice. Manipulating people with facial expression and body language is easy when done right. What they see is what they believe." Ruby eyes glanced at the demon. "Also, my job requires me to control my emotions even though I would rather hit them than politely ask them to leave, all the while with a smile. Exhausting."

"Ah, I feel your struggles." Cerulean eyes focused back on the opponents, noticing that they were getting further and further away from where they were standing. "And I believe as my wielder, you know all of my weakness already, right?" Clawed feet stepping closer and closer towards the fighting pair.

"Maybe not all. But not to worry, this time you will be the one doing all the work," Seijuro replied. "I do hope you're up to it."

"Then make sure to provide me with what I need." And with that Kuroko ran forwards, leaving behind the redhead who let more energy flow into the grass whips and making them grow larger and thicker until they could easily be mistaken as massive tree trunks. They move, intertwining, and before long a dome surrounded all three of them.

 _"Is this enough?"_ He was referring to the shade that was produced because of dome he made. Because if one were to trap an opponent's shadow like this, then they have to stay close to the target to prevent the element from escaping. Similar to when a string is pulled too hard, it will break. The same principle applies to the said element. That's why he made a dome, to give Kuroko more flexibility. Although some of the wan lights infiltrated the dark, but still, they weren't enough for Midorima to actually make use of his element without struggling.

 _"Plenty."_ Kuroko answered back, now being able to control Midorima's movements better. Although it also put him at risk of both of them suddenly attacking him and him not being able to dodge in time. But he's certain that Akashi-kun would have his back if anything were to happen. "Now that we're close enough, let me tell you something about Takao-kun, Midorima-kun. I don't fancy the feeling of a raw throat just because I have to yell what I'm about to say."

"No one asked you to say anything and I do not need to hear anything you say." Midorima grunted out, the sword in his hand sliced Takao's arm a bit.

"And no one ever asked your demon to blurt out my weaknesses." Came the retort with an unamused look directed at the black haired one. "Just think of this as me returning the favor. Therefore, I'll just tell you whether you want to hear or not. I do hope you're hearing this, Akashi-kun. This might prove useful." The last one was said to his wielder who positioned himself behind the dome. One glowing hand resting on the complicated creation he made, keeping the energies flowing to be able to withstand any incoming attacks that might destroy it.

"Firstly, do you know the reason why Akashi-kun and I aimed for Takao-kun first?" The answer is a wind blade that sailed the air, passing the side of Midorima's head before being sidestepped by Kuroko, leaving a cut on the dome. But it regenerated in just a matter of seconds, as if the attack never happened. "It's because he specializes in ranged attacks. Damage his wings, and he'll be reduced to a normal demon who could barely defend himself. Quite obvious from the mission we did a while back. If it was Kasamatsu-san fighting those thieves, then our mission would go much more smoothly."

"Secondly, while his eyes are indeed sharp, the same could not be said to his ability to sense energies. Which is why we were often paired together. He would be in charge of monitoring for physical movements while I'm in charge of flows of energies. Again, evident from the time when he couldn't see the thieves when the shadow demon cast his illusions." Kuroko's cerulean eyes could see Midorima's brow creased. Probably reanimating the scenes in his head.

"And while I'm at it, I'd like to also reveal your weakness, Midorima-kun." Kuroko jumped backward to avoid grass whips courtesy of the green haired one as he tightened his grip on the shadows he held. But Midorima relentlessly attacked him with Takao assisting him every now and then whenever he could. Seijuro made the dome form thorns, piercing the opponents and letting Kuroko reposition himself a little further from them. "From what limited information I gathered when we were doing our mission and from watching you fight with Akashi-kun just now, I noticed that you barely use any other elements. You mainly use light, the earth wall you made was far from durable, the blobs were a tad bit too small. And these whips," Kuroko slapped one of them away with his free hand, the movement so fast the whip broke. "are fragile."

The attacks kept on coming, Kuroko dodging while Seijuro did the best he can to protect his demon. But eventually, Midorima and Takao won over when one of the attacks hit his wrists, making Kuroko lose his grip on the shadows, involuntarily releasing his opponents. Seeing his chance, Takao let wind blades slice through the dome, destroying it.

"You shitty demon." Takao cursed. Grey eyes burning with vengeance. He raised his hands and made dark clouds covered the sky, thunder boomed before a gigantic bolt of lightning crashed to the ground between them. The impact caused a crater to form while the backlash sent both Kuroko and Seijuro to be flung back. "Now, Shin-chan!"

Knowing this, Midorima formed a bow and pulled the string. An arrow already held between his fingers. Forest green eyes narrowed, aiming at the shadow demon. Before long he released his hold, the arrow of light piercing the air with a whizzing sound. But Kuroko who saw the arrow flying towards him didn't react as instead of making a hole on him like at the beginning, it missed its mark. Managing to only slice one of his sleeves, passing innocently.

"What?" Takao couldn't believe it, his mind having a hard time digesting the sight. Shin-chan never misses, this can't be right. His silver eyes then traveled to his wielder who stood there with both arms shaking. The skin irritated, blisters formed and the human looked as if he was resisting the urge to just grip the limbs in the hopes of willing the pain away. The wind demon noted that the blisters formed on the spots where the substance clung.

"Euphorbia sap [1]. It's over, Midorima." And just like that, the surroundings dispersed, the phantasma field fading away.

"The match is over. Take off your bracelets and put them in these glass boxes." Masako-sensei's voice went into their ears right after the surroundings returned to normal. They gathered themselves and did as told.

When the top was closed, the scores were tallied. The numbers raising, steadily getting higher and higher. "Well, this is rather unexpected." Came the bemused tone of the teacher, a rare treat for the whole gym. "With a score of 98-98, it's a tie. Therefore both of them moved on to the next round." Claps were heard, and the gym cheered.

* * *

Thunder boomed outside, rain pouring down from the heavens and crashed to the earth. The howling winds raged, blowing away leaves and sending them flying. Puddles formed, splashing about when rare vehicles run over it, sending droplets of water to bounce out in a frenzy. But outside was a contrast to the warm insides of the restaurant they had just entered as the hearty meals and chatterings of the customers were not disturbed by the chaotic weather.

"Welco- Oh My God! Seijuro-kun!" A waitress that greeted them shout in shock, a hand went to reflexively touch her bosom.

"Good evening." He greeted while closing the sliding door close behind him, putting his soaked umbrella inside the provided place in the corner. "Do you have a table for two?" He asked.

"Of course, of course! Even if we didn't, we'd kick someone from their's to make room for you!" The jolly female led them to an empty table that was actually made for four. The two customers sat facing each other.

"That will not do. You'll run the risk of losing customers if you do." He took the menu that was offered and proceeds to scan it. "And it's also impolite."

"Nonsense! It's because of you that our business still runs!" She took out a notepad and a pencil. "What brings you here anyway? You rarely eat out."

"Nothing, really, I just wanted to celebrate for a bit." He replied, a finger tapping on a specific dish written on the menu. "I'll have this one, please."

"Celebrate? Goodness, then your meal will be on the house!" The pencil scribbled the order, a wide smile playing on her lips. "I'm sure father wouldn't mind."

"No, I could nev-"

"No. It's either a free meal or getting kicked out. Your call."

A sigh. "Fine." He resigned as he was certainly not in the mood to get soaked to the bone and catching a cold right after.

"Good."

"Um, excuse me."

"Wah!" She jumped, letting out a rather loud shout before clamping her mouth with one hand. Bowing for a bit to apologize to the other customers there who had all directed their gaze to her being. "When did you-"

"I came here with him." Kuroko said as he pointed at a specific menu. "And I would like to order this."

"Ah- I- Um- yes, yes!" she scrambled to collect her wits before scribbling the order.

"This is Kuroko. My cousin." Seijuro introduced, finding it amusing every time the demon managed to scare people out of their skins with his weak presence.

"A cousin?" A laugh. "Then it's also a free meal for you!" And without waiting for a response, she was already bounding towards the kitchen.

"You know a lot of people in this area," Kuroko commented after the waitress had vanished into the kitchen. "The old woman selling peanuts, the man that owns the sweet shop, the carpenter that's fixing a fruit stand, and even a passing mother with her child knows you. And because of that, I also became popular as being your 'cousin.'"

"Because I used to walk around here during the holidays. I don't have much to do at home anyway. But ever since I work at the cafe, I only come during my day offs." He took a sip of warm tea that a waiter had just served them, letting his hands curl around the clay glass a little longer with the intention of slowly chasing away the cold. "And It's better than people knowing you're not actually a human, right?" The last one was said in a more quieter tone.

"Yes, it is better, although I would prefer being unnoticeable." He grimaced, rubbing his cheek as he remembered an old lady pinching his cheek after the redhead introduced him to her. It was an action meant to be of endearment, he knew, but the pain that came from the wrinkly fingers was unexpected. "And what did you help with this place? She seemed eager to let you eat for free."

"This place is rather closed off, no?" Kuroko nodded, his mind could barely reimagine the road Seijuro took to get here. "Because of the location, many didn't know that this restaurant existed. I merely spread the word about this place, put in a good word. And before long customers discovered this place and since then had been coming back here."

A hum. "And with your wide network here, I can say that job was made easy."

"You caught on fast." Seijuro said as his eyes strayed to the shadow cast on the sliding door behind Kuroko. Not a moment later it parted to reveal someone very familiar to them.

"Hey, Mister! You got- Ack!" Takao froze on the spot as his eyes caught the sight of Seijuro and Kuroko sitting there.

The other one twitched their forest green eyes in frustration. "We'll find another restaurant." Midorima literary grabbed the scruff of Takao's clothes and dragged him back outside, shutting the door close behind him. But the weather was mocking them as the winds suddenly blew more harshly while rain poured like a waterfall. Soon, the door reopened to reveal a soaked version of the duo.

* * *

"There you go. Enjoy the meal!" A cheerful waiter said, placing the dishes on the table before going off to take an order from another customer.

But even with various food laid in front, none of them took a bite. Merely keeping their silence and staring at anything but each other. The awkwardness was intense as even the other people there took notice of it, making the overall air around them unbearable. Also, the waiter that had just served their food was actually the one who drew the short straw. No one wanted to get near that specific table because of the brewing argument that they hope wouldn't actually happen.

Luckily, it was not long before the resident wind demon finally spoke up, having enough.

"Hey, come on guys! Let's just eat. It's getting cold." Takao said as he took a spoon. "And stop sulking Shin-chan. It's either sitting down and eat a warm meal at the same table with them or shivering in the rain."

"I'm not sulking, nanodayo. And I'd rather stand in the rain than be here." The green haired one averted his gaze, hands crossed.

Takao circled an arm around his neck. "Aww come on Shin-chan. You had enough of the crying in the rain, right? Cheer up."

"I'm wasn't crying!" Came the quick response, the teen pried the arm away from him while Kuroko and Seijuro watched them, amused. "And how can you be so cheerful? We just lost to them."

"It was a tie, so we didn't really lose." He took a bite of his fried rice. "You should be more happy that all of us advanced to the next round." Said Takao after swallowing.

"It would seem that Midorima-kun is still angry at me." Kuroko's voice interjected, stopping the bickering. "But the match result is a tie, so as Takao said, you didn't actually lose." A sip of warm tea. "I will keep my end of the bargain."

Ruby and silver eyes directed their gaze at the small one. "What did you do this time?" Seijuro sighed. He knew something was strange even before the match started. Like how Kuroko was late, claiming he had to go to the toilet, Midorima also came late for no reason, and the aggressive first attack. It's all coming to him, the pieces falling to their rightful place.

A shrug. "Just a deal." He said this as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Even though the so-called 'deal' is anything but natural. Especially if Kuroko was the one doing it and it caused such vengeance to be directed towards him.

"What kind of deal you bastard." Takao asked, silver pools glinting menacingly. He needs to know. If it's dangerous, then he had to stop it no matter what.

Kuroko let out a sigh. "Why do you look and act as if I'm going to harm your wielder. Has your trust in me depleted? And here I thought only Kasmatsu-san was like this."

"Answer the damn question."

"If Akashi-kun and I won the match then you along with Midorima-kun will be Akashi-kun's wielding trainers." He grabbed a spoon and began scooping the curry rice he ordered that was starting to get cold. "But if the opposite happened, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say. Your wielder is giving me the look. I still want to live, mind you." He munched a bit, savoring the mildly spicy meal. "Nothing dangerous, right?"

"So that's why you were so grumpy." Takao let out a sigh of relief as he glanced at the one in front of him. "And what do we get if we win? Tell me Shin-chan, tell me!" The one being asked chose to clamp his mouth shut.

"I should've known. You did this too to Kise and Kasamatsu-san." Seijuro took a bite of his own food.

"Heh, no wonder he was so skilled," Takao commented. "Making a gigantic whip, ice mirrors that could reflect Shin-chan's light beams, a dome to surround Tet-chan. It make's sense now. Ryou-chan and Yu-chan's are your personal trainers." Then he let out a wide smile, body slightly bending to the side, almost leaning onto Kuroko. "So, which Seirin game?" He asked, already knowing the method in achieving such feat.

"Eat the last dumpling." The smaller one pushed the face that was touching his own away from him.

"Ha! That's my area of expertise. No one could beat me at that game." The hawk proudly exclaimed, not bothered by the hand that still stuck itself to his cheek. "Play that game with me, I'll kick your ass!"

"It is, until everyone restrained you. And then you'll scream bloody murder." A sip of tea, One limb still pushing the other's face away from him. "I'll use that tactic if we play again."

"That's because you guys cheated." A finger harshly poked Kuroko's temple. "And you're about to cheat just now."

"You know what they say, all is fair in war and games." The shadow demon pinched the offending finger.

"You mean all is fair in war and love." Seijuro corrected, watching as Takao pulled his finger and rubbed it in pain since Kuroko used his fingernails to pinch it.

"There's no love in war, Akashi-kun. It'll get in the way of attaining victory, and there's also the possibility of backstabbing." He pointed out, pretending that his fellow demon wasn't giving him the stink eye. "But back to the topic, you'll keep your end of the bargain, right, Midorima-kun?" Cerulean eyes pointed their gaze to the bespectacled one who stayed silent a bit too long.

"Wait, wait, wait. Sei-chan and I didn't know this deal was going on. I suggest we call it null and void." Takao interrupted.

"But the match was a tie, both of us have the advantage."

"I say we play a game."

"I would surely lose at eat the last dumpling with you," Kuroko said. "That's hardly fair."

"Tsk, tsk." The ebony haired one slightly shook his head, two fingers cradling his chin as he sounded as if he was trying to explain the obvious to a child. "Tet-chan, did your brain got smaller? I never said that we should play that game and I also never said that we are the ones who'll play."

"Then what game are you proposing?"

"A Seirin game that's entirely out of our league. A game called nasty mix."

"I refuse," Kuroko responded, not even giving it a second thought.

"What the hell?! You didn't even consider it!"

"Every time I hear that game's name, I remember the time I almost died." Memories of that time invaded his mind, memories that he wishes to be forgotten. "There's nothing to consider."

"How about Blind Bluff?"

"Hardly fair. Akashi-kun will surely win. The match was proof enough."

"Pretty Ribbon?"

"That's a game for demon's only. It's too dangerous for humans to play."

"Then Bounce the Element."

"Letting nonpotentials know of magic is forbidden."

"Hit the Asshole?"

"That game is played only during missions. And it's real name is Bull's Eye."

"Attack the Fucktard."

"I believe there's no game by the na- Ack!" Kuroko suddenly yelped, holding his side where it was painfully jabbed by the other.

"Serve's you right!" Blue pools glinted, giving Takao the stink eye. But before he could move, Kuroko had executed his revenge. "OW! You bastard!" He yelled, rubbing at his side with a grimace.

"I believe you are the bastard seeing as you attacked first."

"Well you were the one who was such an ass."

"Hardly, I refuse because the games you suggested were not suited for them."

"And just what games do you suggest?"

"There's-"

"So," Seijuro said, drowning out the bickering that could possibly explode into a full-blown fight. "Will Sunday be a good day for us to meet?"

"Yes." Midorima replied, sipping his drink. They exchanged phone numbers and set the time and place of the meeting. All of that done without their demons' knowledge.

* * *

Three consecutive soft knocks were heard when he was in the middle of reading a medical report, breaking the serene silence of the room and disturbing his concentration. He furrowed his brow, ignoring the sound. He had personally told the other staffs that he was not to be disturbed this night, and whoever was there either didn't know, lacking a couple of cells in their brain, or just plain brave to the point of idiotic. Again, just as he was wondering which category said person might fall into, the knocks resounded again, this time a little bit louder than the last ones. They're persistent, he noticed, but it was wrong to think that he would arise from his seat and let some random staff in. He already told them he doesn't want to be disturbed and if it were an emergency, then they can just make a call to him.

After a couple of ignored knocks that weren't greeted back, the door creaked open and closed with a gentle thud. A pair of dark green eyes averted their gaze from the document he was reading, ready to identify the intruder and let out a string of lectures towards said person.

But there was no one there.

He rose, rigid hands reaching under his desk to brush over a dagger hidden from view. His keen green pools scanned the office room to find the supposed intruder, ready to yank the weapon from it's hiding place and strike.

"Good evening." A voice greeted. This triggered him to brandish the blade, aiming towards the direction which the voice came from. But before the glimmering steel could draw any blood, two fingers halted the dagger, an inch away from a single cerulean eye. "Goodness, is that how you greet an old friend, Sotaro-kun? And after all the trouble I had to go to search and follow your flow."

"Kuroko." The man immediately identified the unexpected visitor, his grip went slack as Kuroko let his hand retreat. "Have a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk as he put away his secret weapon in its rightful place.

"You didn't open the door." Kuroko stated, letting himself drop to the chair. "How rude."

"I have told the other staff to not bother me. There is no need to open the door for those who didn't listen." He tidied up his desk, rearranging the mess to create a semblance of order. "It has been a long time, what brings you here."

"I'm here to discuss something and also to fulfill a promise." Slender fingers laced on top of the wooden table, cerulean eyes staring straight at green ones. "This might take a while. You wouldn't mind lending me some of your time, no?"

"Just this once." The desk's drawer closed shut after the man put some documents inside, straightening up and addressing the visitor adequately.

"Good." The demon nodded, still keeping eye contact with the human. "Before I start, I would first like to say that your son performed admirably during the match earlier today. Although I would not expect less from him or Takao-kun."

"So he had a match today." Sotaro parroted. "I see."

"And I believe you did not know of this until now." No confirmation or denial came from the man, Kuroko continued. "Which is why I came here."

"If that is the case, then we have nothing to discuss." Green eyes turned steely, piercing through cerulean ones. "I suggest you leave before things get out of hand."

"Then we do not have to discuss. I only ask you to listen, lend me a generous ear. I will do the talking." The demon suggested. "You'd at least do that, right? For an old friend."

"Very well."

"My thanks." Well, the first step's done, now he hopes that the doctor won't suddenly make him leave mid-sentence. This needs to be done, after all, this problem has been festering for so long that the damage is almost unrepairable. And by the end of this meeting, he just hoped that the man would listen, make things right again.

"I am aware that you still harbor some resentment and regret over the events of that day. We know the consequences of our actions, know the risks, and I personally have warned them of the dangers. But they persisted, I have no choice. As a demon who was and still is trapped in this world, there is not much I can do to resist." A deep breath, the happening of that day flooded over him like a dam. "But that is not an excuse. What I did was unforgivable."

"But for the sake of keeping this short and sweet, I will not need to go into details, seeing as you already know of them yourself. But I would like to ask you this, is it right to punish those who had no connection, no intervention over the events of that day? Is it right to resent those who had no knowledge of the cause of your resentment?" The man opened his mouth, ready to expel words. But a hand rose to stop him. "I believe we agreed on me doing all the talking and you doing all the hearing. Not to worry, I will give you a chance to talk after I'm done."

Seeing that Sotaro clamped his mouth shut again and making sure he won't attempt to talk back, he continued. "That is only one of the things I would like you to mull over. The other thing I would discuss is about your own family, your son to be specific." Kuroko could see the man's expression harden, lips pressed together to form a thin line, while his eyes went cold. "Again, I am aware this is not the topic you would like to be discussed. But I already gave you a chance. I left you alone as promised, no longer visiting your premises, no longer intervening. I agreed with you because I believe you could handle your own problems yourself, believed that you will fix it." A sigh, Kuroko suddenly looked as if he betrayed his appearance, expression and body language fitting his real age.

Sotaro saw this but chose to keep mum, letting the demon gather himself and talk again. "I may not be a human, I had seen many horrid sights, had done equally, if not, more horrid things. But it's still saddening for me to see that your life is crumbling apart. Witnessing the boy grew up into a man, achieving his childhood dreams, having a family of his own. Anybody would be envious of you, thinking that you have a bright future ahead. Then, as years gone by, you destroyed it. You divorced your wife, moved out of the home that once had the warmth of a loving family, leaving in the dead of night with a sleeping eight-year-old to your new house, drowning yourself in your work and barely communicating with your son, cutting off your own daughter and ex-wife."

He remembered that day, vivid as if it happened just a while ago. The sight of a dark house, a man carrying a sleeping boy, leaving behind a note. Kuroko had slipped inside the car they were in, talked to Sotaro in hopes of actually have him rethink his actions. But the man snapped at him and harshly told him to not interfere with his life, that he knew what he was doing. Then one of the windows of the vehicle rolled open, the driver ordering him to leave. And leave he did, jumping out of the car and left alone on the empty street. It was something he had no power over. It was, as he said, his life after all. Who was he to tell him what to do and what not to do?

After that night, he never heard of anything from him. And for years he believed that he was doing just fine if the scarce news he heard were any indication. But all that self-assurance he built up for years came crumbling down when he heard of Shintaro from Takao. Of how the child could barely remember his own mother's face, how he couldn't call her because he didn't know her number, how the demon could feel the swelling emotions everytime his wielder remembered what his father had done. The brief talk with him and Shintaro was the final nail in the coffin. Kuroko could not let this continue any further.

"I did-"

Kuroko interrupted him. "Then tell me, when was the last time you actually talked eye to eye with Shintaro? When was the last time you met your ex-wife and daughter? You didn't even know that Shintaro had a match today." Sotaro didn't respond, didn't know how to respond. He was at lost for words. "When I met your son, talked to him before his match, nothing was wrong. He was still your aloof child. But when I suddenly spoke about you, I saw hate, the desire for revenge. And seeing as he is a brilliant wielder, contracted one of Seirin's demons, believe me, Sotaro-kun, that child will be the death of you. Consequences be damned."

"I may not fully understand how humanity works, but that is not how a child should feel about their father." A pause, he let the human digest his words. "And when that day comes, when he no longer has to depend on you, when you turn frail and powerless, he will strike. No one can stop him, not even myself. Your selfishness has driven away his innocence, giving birth to vengeance."

No one spoke after that, the hum of the air conditioner was the only sound filling the air. Kuroko let his words sink in, allowing Sotaro process them. The shock of the last sentences might have caused that as Sotaro's brows furrowed even further. The way the gears of his brain moved, Kuroko could see them. The man was thinking of how to prevent that, how to counter his own son. And even though Kuroko didn't know the exact things he was thinking, he didn't have any doubts that it contradicted with the method he had in mind.

"I told you, no one can stop him." Kuroko interrupted. "With the rate he is growing, the way he became stronger each day, eliminating you will be like crushing an ant. So instead of going against him, try spending more time with him, see the world the way he sees it. Understand him, talk to him, hear what he has to say. I'm sure that is what they would want you to do."

"I cannot leave this hospital, I have a job." He even has an operation scheduled for tomorrow and a meeting after that. And God knows how many sudden activities and other things he needs to attend. Ha has no time for such trivial things as to come home and spend time with his son. Shintaro is not a toddler anymore, he could take care of himself just fine.

Kuroko pointed a finger, promoting green eyes to follow the direction it was aiming at. "Your cellphone. I believe you know his number. And I'm very much sure there are other methods that I'm not aware of that could do the same, if not, more."

"He might be busy," Sotaro said. "I cannot bother him with idle conversations."

"Then send a message. Everybody does that nowadays."

"He will not read them. He hates me."

"Why are you avoiding him?" Kuroko asked. "Have you tried before?"

"I have. I sent him messages, asking him about his day, if he needs anything, if he would like to go somewhere. Every single one of them were left unreplied." Rough hands unconsciously gripped into trembling fists, unintentionally remembering the times when he actually bothered with checking with his son. At first, there were phone calls, Shintaro would answer them, then let them be unanswered, until finally rejecting them all together. Knowing that, he moved on to messages, slowly tapping at the small keypads, carefully choosing his words. Same as the phone calls, they were replied until finally, no reply came. Sotaro stopped after Shintaro didn't respond for a week straight, deeming that his son was busy with school and that he was bothering him.

"He's still upset," Kuroko said. "What you did back then might have been traumatic for him. He saw you as the villain, and apparently still does."

"I wasn't the villain, and never was. Chisato had always wanted a daughter, had even prepared little dresses and frilly headbands. But when she knew she was having a son instead, she got upset. Shintaro was almost killed even before he was born. She tried to drink medicine that would cause a miscarriage. If I didn't catch her at the act, who knows what will happen." A sigh, he could feel his stamina draining from just talking about that particular topic. "And even when Shintaro was born, she would mix his bottle with sleeping drugs, not wanting to take care of him."

"I had told her that gender doesn't matter, that he is still our child. But she didn't listen and would throw a fit, flinging furniture around and screaming at the top of her lungs. Our neighbors thought she was crazy, and I thought she was, too. There were times I had to drop Shintaro at my parents' house because of that, because in her eyes, it was always his fault." A deep frown seemed to be etched permanently on his face, accompanied by furrowed brows. "Although she calmed down when our daughter was born, she would hit him. She was apparently still upset that her daughter wasn't the first child. The time when Shintaro fainted after she beat him was the last straw." Sotaro let his gaze fell on his desk, finding the wooden swirls of the furniture more interesting than anything else. "I had to divorce her, moved away to another house. It was the only way."

"And from what I could piece out, little Shintaro just chalked it up as her having a 'bad day.' He didn't really know that his own mother hated him." A solemn nod was the response. "That was because you and your parents told him so, that she loved him and his mother would soon calm down." Kuroko stared straight at the man. "This is why sometimes one needs to tell their child the painful truth, rather than a comforting lie. Because that lie will eventually become the truth for them."

"Then what was I supposed to do? He was a child, Kuroko. How could I, his own father, tell him that his own mother despises him?" Sotaro asked the demon, voice so soft, a contrast to the stern ones he uses when talking to patients or fellow staffs. "I would be crushing his dreams, his innocence, his life. Just imagine the sorrow, Shintaro at that time wouldn't be able to handle it."

"But I'm certain he could handle it now, no?" The demon leaned back, resting his hands on his lap. Sotaro staring at him as if he had lost his mind. "He's a teenager now. Explain to him your reasons the way you just explained them to me. You have kept him in the dark for far too long, it's about time you leave behind those beautiful lies and bring out the cold truth." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to somehow lessen the pressure on them. "Ignorance is not bliss, Sotaro-kun. It is like a disease. If you let this continue, then it'll just get worse. This needs to be fixed."

"I am aware of that. But that can only happen if he believes my story."

"Yes, this might be hard. But you and I both know that this has to be done. Whether he believes in you or not is not important. The important thing is that you told him your reasons, told him what really happened. I'm sure in time he would think back to those times and connect the dots by himself. Even I thought you were in the wrong until you told me your reason." Seeing as Sotaro didn't let out a single sound, he continued. "As I said, go back home. Take a day off, loosen your schedule, and spend some time with him, start anew. Besides, this hospital won't suddenly explode with their head doctor absent, right?" The last part was playfully asked, a small joke to lighten the atmosphere a bit.

Once again, silence stretched on. For ten minutes neither of them move or talked, each drowned themselves in their own thoughts. Kuroko let his eyes drift to the clock hanging on the wall to his right, noticing that it was already two o'clock in the morning. "If you don't have anything to say, then I guess it is time for me to be on my way." He stood up, making his way to the window behind the man. "Get some rest and make sure to tell him to break the contract first if you're going to discuss that topic."

"Before you go..." Kuroko stopped his footsteps, glancing at the man. "Who is your wielder?" Because he noticed that Kuroko is in his human form, something that was only made possible if one had already been contracted by a human.

"Try asking your son. I'm sure that will be an interesting topic for the both of you." With that, he pushed aside the curtain, opened the glass window and jumped out, reverting into a fox before disappearing into the dark.

The chilly cold air let themselves inside the office, scattering papers all around. Sotaro saw this but chose to allow them to dance about, still sitting in his chair. After a while of mulling things over, he stood up, closed the window and curtain, and cleaned his office. As grabbed his keys from a drawer, a framed photo greeted him, a picture of him as a teenager, dressed in the same uniform as his son's. A nostalgic smile made it's way to his lips as he let his eyes stray to the two other people besides him in the photo. He gave the memories a moment to flow out before cutting them off when he closed the drawer. A note announcing his urgent leave slapped to his door before making his way to the parking lot, where his car had made itself comfortable for almost two weeks.

It was time to head back home and have an overdue chat with his son. Besides, the beds at the hospital are all lumpy anyway, his back's starting to hurt.

"To think a ruthless demon such as yourself will be the one to convince me to do this." He mumbled quietly to himself. "You changed. And I wonder who did that to you?" The question was not replied, but he already knew the answer.

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Footnote:

[1] Euphorbia sap: Euphorbia plant is a plant often mistaken for cacti. It produces a white milky sap called latex. The latex is a toxic substance which could irritate the skin and eyes. Many people claim that they felt a burning sensation when the sap made contact with their skin, causing irritation and blisters. If the sap were to get in the eyes, could cause blindness. The sap could also cause death if ingested. Gardeners should take extra caution when handling this plant and should wear gloves and eye protectors.

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A/N: Hello! Origami Scrawls here and thank you for reading this fic! It has been such a long time since I updated and I'm really, really, really sorry for that. These months had been harsh on me, and I'm not just talking about college but my life as a whole. It came to the point where I could hardly enjoy myself, and at some point, I forgot what it means to just let loose and have fun. I know this sounds cheesy and all but it's the truth. My life took a turn for the worse, and as a result, I felt helpless and useless. I also relapsed, the dark corners of my mind creeped out, and I broke down. I lost my control and to make it worse I had this urge to just end it all. Thankfully I was able to resist and slowly push back those dark thoughts. But I'm still afraid that I'll relapse again. Hope that will not happen again, at least not in a long time.

But enough of that! This chapter was actually already typed out after I updated last time. But then I got very busy, and this fic was set aside and left in the dust. I would fish it out whenever I had the time and continued it, but not much. And I also think that the scenes were unsatisfying, especially the fight scene, so I delayed in the hopes of finding more inspiration and ideas. I ended up changing a lot of the scenes and adding some too. But I still think this chapter lacked something.

And lastly, I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I also hoped that it will somehow make your day or put a smile on your face. I would also like to thank all who waited so patiently for this amateur to update. I really feel bad for making you all wait so long.

Well, enough of my blabbering. On to the reviews!

~Mizuumi Yoite: Don't worry about that! Just knowing that you actually read my fic is enough to brighten my day! Oh, thank you! Glad that you liked this fic. And I will try to update as fast as I can and quickly move on with the story to satisfy your curiosity.

~Mimi-chan and aliling-chan: Please don't! But yeah, I feel you. I would also act like super proud parent Kuroko if he's like that!

~SmileyOtaku366: They are? Goodness, I thought they were just plain strange. But anyway, thanks!

~Awayuki: Thank you! I will try to update as fast as I can.

~Kairo Lupin: There is a reason behind that! But I can't spoil it for you. The next family interaction... Huh, that will have to wait I'm afraid. That scene will come in due time, the same goes with Seirin. This chapter is about the battle, hope you liked it. I'm super nervous about it, and every other time I updated this fic. Thank you! I'm really happy that the omakes could brighten your mood. And kuroko ojii-san is just so fun to type. Sometimes I just couldn't resist!

~Marieeula24: Thank you! The other miracles will appear soon. And I will try to update as fast as I can.

~Ryu elchan: That omake was inspired by an old meme I found a long time ago! Glad you liked it!

~Hiina: Thank you for your time to find this fic! And uh... I guess you can cry? I don't know... And both of them will show the world what they're made of! Glad to know you liked the omakes!

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Well, I guess that's all. I would like to thank all of you who had read, reviewed, and clicking on the follow and/or favorite button. I apologize for the long wait, the misspellings and/or the grammatical errors that you may find in this fic. Hope you had fun reading and have a great day!

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Omake - Umbrella

It was raining cats and dogs. The wind blew harshly as the cold bit their skins. Seijuro and Kuroko stood at the front entrance of the school, looking up at the sky at the unrelenting drops of water that fell from above.

"This rain is impressive." Kuroko commented.

"It is." Seijuro fished out his cell phone to type a message to Yuko. Telling the maid they're eating out and will come home late.

"Should we wait for the rain to settle down?" The demon asked as Seijuro put his phone back in his bag.

"No. That will take too long." The human shook his head. "We'll stop by a restaurant for dinner and wait there until the rain settles."

"Alright." Kuroko weaved his element to make an umbrella. Seijuro dug his bag for the said item. When he found it, he pulled it out and opened it.

And the umbrella popped right off the handle. The bowl-shaped item flew high, spinning around and getting pummeled by the rain before a bolt of lightning struck it. The sad item now reduced into a pile of burnt metal stuck on a tree.

Seijuro was left to stare at what was left of his umbrella, the burnt metal on the tree and the metal stick and plastic handle on his hand. "What just happened?" He asked incredulously.

"Why must you kill them so, Akashi-kun?"

"What do you mean?"

"First Stool-kun and now it's Umbrella-san."

"I didn't kill anything. They're objects Kuroko, not living beings." Seijuro sighed. "And now you're using different honorifics."

"Rest in peace, Umbrella-san. Your service and sacrifice shall always be remembered." Kuroko ignored the protest, still staring at the blackened metal on the tree.

Seijuro used the handle in his grip to make a new umbrella by manipulating the energies around him. Not a moment later, one made of the plant element materialized.

"Let's go. I need to stop by a convenience store to buy a new one."

Oh, such heartlessness." That monotone voice couldn't convince anyone. "You intend to replace Umbrella-san immediately right after we witnessed her demise." Oh, so now the umbrella is a female.

Seijuro ignored him and walked into the rain, Kuroko finally following him after a couple of seconds.

"After you get your replacement, hand me Umbrella-san's handle, Akashi-kun. I shall give her a proper burial."

Seijuro didn't respond, opting to just walk and navigate his way. Sometimes he wonders as to why he ended up with such a strange demon.

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I do not own Kuroko no Basket nor the image I used. They belong to their respective owners.


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